


Games of Destiny

by SandscriptTale



Series: Fate & Destiny [2]
Category: Fate/Grand Order, Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball, Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Ancient Pasts, Crossover Pairings, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Duels and battles, Fate & Destiny, Fate characters are minor but relevant and meaningful, Fluff and Angst, Kise overcoming obstacles, Leftover Feelings, M/M, Mokuba is an adult GASP, Multiple Crossovers, Reincarnations, Seto Kaiba redemption, Slow Burn, Surprise Characters - Freeform, aomine is an idiot but I love him, it surprisingly worked well, lots of brotherly stuff, lots of friendship stuff, lots of plot and buildup, momoi is best girl still, rivalries and friendships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2020-09-02 21:36:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 46
Words: 260,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20252584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SandscriptTale/pseuds/SandscriptTale
Summary: Post Anime and Movies. As the gaming industry evolves and grows more competitive, Seto Kaiba must find innovative ways to keep KaibaCorp as the best Gaming Company in the country. As a new marketing idea is launched to introduce the next phase of KaibaCorp technology that requires the enlistment of models and idols, Kise Ryota is one such candidate. Is it simple coincidence that brings these two forces together, or is destiny once more weaving its intentions? Kaiba/Kise. Mature content later on. COMPLETE





	1. Seto Kaiba

As twenty-five year old CEO of Kaiba Corp, Seto Kaiba, entered headquarters, the famed Kaiba Tower that stood as the highest skyscraper amidst the downtown of Domino city, his straight posture and almost unapproachable aura caused his employees to stop and respectfully bow and mutter quiet greetings as he made his way to his destination. While the young CEO would not be winning any Boss of the Year awards anytime soon, there was no doubt that he was highly respected by his employees and many had worked hard to be under his employment, despite the fact most of them were many years his senior.

After all, everyone knew that Seto Kaiba was a genius as a game designer, engineer, and business entrepreneur. And despite his unapproachable persona, all his employees were well taken care of, with benefits and bonuses that many didn’t see in other companies of the same caliber. However, they also knew that if they so much as failed to live up to the Kaiba standards, or anger him in any way, there would be no mercy from the young CEO.

Taking his private elevator to the top floor, Kaiba entered the silent and completely white room. The many floor to ceiling windows had the blinds down, keeping the sun from entering the pristine room. Pressing a button along one of the walls next to the elevator, some of the blinds rose and retreated, letting the sun shine through the tinted windows that prevented the sun from reflecting off the white surfaces uncomfortably, and presenting the sight of the city just outside the glass barrier. As Kaiba went through his morning routine of making himself an expresso on the machine on the small kitchenette in a corner of the room, he grabbed the glass with hot caffeine before making his way to the other side of the room where his workplace awaited.

He set his briefcase down on his desk before sitting down and unlocking his three different computers through the optical and facial recognition system and used voice command to tell his virtual secretary to pull up the latest statistics of his company. As expected, Kaiba Corp had dipped a few more points in standing, but nothing large enough to cause him alarm. It had been some time since he had launched a new product after all, and with the quickly changing demographics of his clientele and the rise of new forms of gaming platforms, it was harder to maintain his status as the top gaming company in the country.

With the rise in popularity of RPG, warfare, and open world games, his once best-selling Duel Monster products had been dropping in sales faster than he liked to see. Most tournaments held were on smaller scales, not the grand events they had once been. It had to be expected of course, he knew duel monsters would only be the start of his rise to the top in the gaming industry, as the game industry changed as fast as anything else in the consumer and fad led world.

Currently, his company was working on ways to incorporate their virtual reality systems to that of the games on the market as well as others projected within the near future, but that technology was still a little way out before it was completed and launched. However, he was confident that due to his own designs they were far ahead of any company attempting the same sort of technology. Until then, he was left with the task of making sure Kaiba Corp could keep up with the trends and distribution of what they _did_ have. And thanks to the four world-wide Kaiba Land Parks, and their top-of-the line gaming computers and accessories, he didn’t see his company struggling anytime soon.

A few months ago, the marketing team had come up with an idea that appealed to Kaiba, and as he opened the first of what would be many emails of the day, he saw that they were moving along as planned, and notified him that they had taken the first major step of the plan.

This idea appealed to him for many reasons, but primarily because it revolved around Duel Monsters and the promise of a tournament in the near future of the scale as they had once been when Pegasus and himself had hosted among the first. The team had proposed to appeal to the younger generation by having prominent figures and idols advertise their products, and hopefully use that publicity to incite interest and follow it with a tournament to draw them in and display the quality and entertainment that duel monsters could bring through Kaiba Corp technology.

The Projections Department agreed that it was perfect timing for such move, as it had been almost a decade since the height of Duel Monsters, many of the younger generation that grew up seeing it everywhere would be filled with nostalgia and would be eager to participate if they played their cards right. No pun intended.

The email informed him that they had begun to contact major idols and agencies across the world, obviously Kaiba Corp would not settle for just their home country and would set their sights on a much grander scale.

Giving himself a moment of satisfaction, Kaiba begun his ritual of sorting his email by relevance and importance, with only slight pauses to drink his expresso. This went on for the better part of the morning, until he was satisfied he had handled everything of importance besides a few calls that would have to be made later in the day.

“Kisara, when is my next meeting?”

The virtual secretary housed within all his personal devices made a sound of understanding and processing his request.

“Your next appointment is not until 2:00PM this afternoon, Mr. Kaiba.”

So, his calls would have to be made before then. Perhaps he would take an early lunch after all. As he pondered his schedule for the day, he was interrupted by the sound of his smartphone letting him know of an incoming call. Looking at the caller ID, Kaiba pressed the button to answer on the small wireless device attached to his right ear.

“Kaiba speaking.”

The voice that spoke back to him was as cheerful as he expected.

“Good morning Seto! I hope I’m not interrupting anything, I know you’re always busy and it’s a weekday.”

Kaiba half expected his once rival to ramble on and decided to cut it short.

“Hn, what do I owe the honor of this call, Yugi?”

To anyone else, his tone might have sounded sarcastic and condescending, but to his old classmate and dueling rival, now game designer himself (although of the non-technological kind), he sounded as normal as ever, but that didn’t stop Yugi from chuckling nervously.

“Well, there is something I’d like to talk to you about, and I was wondering if you wanted to over lunch, if you’re not too busy that is.”

Kaiba smirked, thinking of how well Yugi had set himself up for his entertainment.

“My, is the great Yugi Motou asking me on a date? Now that takes balls, I’m impressed.”

Kaiba’s smirk only grew as he heard Yugi sputter on the other end and could almost picture the indignant look on his face.

“Y-you know I’m engaged!” the scandalized pitch in his voice _almost_ caused him to chuckle.

“Hm, what’s that saying? Just because there’s a goalie, doesn’t mean you can’t score?”

“S-Seto! Téa would kill you!”

Kaiba didn’t bother hiding his scoff.

“She could try. But I’m not the one asking me on a date.”

He could practically hear Yugi whining.

“Kaiba stop being impossible! This is important to me.”

Feeling serious Yugi start to surface, Kaiba figured it was best to drop the act.

“Alright, when do you want to meet?”

“Would this week or next be okay? I’ll be going out of town after that for a few weeks for a Game Expo and some vacation time.”

Kaiba opened up his calendar to look at his appointments.

“How about in three days? I can do noon.”

An almost sigh of relief escaped him and Kaiba couldn’t help but be intrigued on what Yugi wanted to talk about, but he knew better than to ask about it now since they would be meeting up for it anyway. Not to mention, it was a good opportunity to bring up his plan of a tournament, and another chance to duel one of the few worthy opponents left.

“Yeah that’s great! How are you doing anyway? It’s been a while since we’ve talked.”

“Fine. Handling business as always.”

To this day, Kaiba couldn’t say he was very good at small talk, and Yugi was one of the only two people he even tried to make an effort for. They had a lot of history, and although he would never admit it, he was glad that Yugi was one of the only people that cared for him as a person rather than a bachelor CEO genius and inventor and bothered to stay in contact with him.

“How’s Mokuba? Or better yet, _where_ is Mokuba?”

Kaiba forced down the dull ache that always came with mentions of his not so baby brother and the inevitable distance between them.

“Probably in Paris given the time of the week. His classes in America aren’t until two days from now.”

“Wow that’s so great for him. I would have killed to be able to go to multiple colleges at the same time, let alone in different countries! Leave it to a Kaiba to be able to do that and still get perfect grades. That kid is gonna hold the record for most degrees had at his age. You must be proud.”

Kaiba made a noise of contemplation, forgetting that it was customary to speak while on the phone.

“You could say that,” he amended, letting his voice purposely trail off.

“Well, I’m glad I was able to reach you. I’ll see you in a few days then. Oh, and Seto?”

The tone at the end of his question gave Kaiba pause.

“Hm?”

“If you ever need anything, or someone just to hang out with, just let me know. I know you must miss Mokuba a lot, and I know you’re not very good at making friends, and I hate to think that all you do is work and barely talk to anyone that doesn’t work for you. But I like to think we’re friends, so don’t forget that okay?”

Kaiba felt his body tense ever so slightly, still not quite used to Yugi’s sincere motives and open signs of concern, despite the many years of knowing him.

“Hn.” Kaiba added noncommittal.

“Well, if that doesn’t appeal to you, get a girlfriend! Or well, given your teasing today, a boyfriend! You know I won’t judge.”

Kaiba resisted the urge to roll his eyes as an exasperated sigh escaped his lips.

“See you in a few days Yugi.”

Yugi laughed.

“Bye Seto.”

Hanging up the phone, Kaiba leaned back on the semi-reclining chair, and sighed as he reflected on Yugi’s parting words. As much as he hated to admit it, he _did_ miss his brother. He knew that it was irrational, and that the fact that Mokuba could experience everything he was now, was the very reason he had worked so hard to be where they were today. He never wanted Mokuba to have to struggle ever again like when they were children, and his success as CEO was the culmination of that desire. Now Mokuba could do anything he wanted to, even if it meant studying abroad in multiple continents achieving several degrees, possible in part because of his influence, fortune, connections, and advanced learning they received as children.

Still, Yugi was right on more than just that. It was true that he was beginning to feel… lonely, and dare he say it… neglected. Growing up it had been him and Mokuba against the world, and now that Mokuba was pursuing his own path, and Kaiba had achieved what he had strived for, what was left? He couldn’t remember the last time aside from Yugi’s call that he had had a civil conversation with someone that didn’t involve Kaiba Corp business, and while Mokuba tried to call him as often as he could, it had been two weeks since his last call. Not to mention a call here and there didn’t compare to in person conversations.

More than once the media and many of his business partners commented on his bachelor status, suggesting that perhaps it was time to settle down and produce an heir that would eventually take over Kaiba Corp since he wasn’t interested in casual dating.

But despite how many years he had spent in this business, and how old he felt as a result, Kaiba knew he was still young by anyone’s standards. And they were right that he wasn’t interested in dating. Despite the number of people interested in him, he just wasn’t the dating _type_. He didn’t even remember the last time he had slept with anyone, let alone what they looked like. It wasn’t as if he ever cared to remember them or sleep with them more than once, let alone be in a relationship with them.

It was natural for him to be detached and his inability to trust anyone made it impossible for him to be able to put himself in something like a relationship, where trust and communication was everything. Those were the two things that Seto Kaiba had lost the ability to do from a young age. He saw the worst in everyone, and refused to make himself vulnerable for _anyone_. A relationship practically demanded that.

Still, perhaps it was time to end his dry spell? Kaiba hated feeling like he was in a rut, and for the past year, that’s exactly what he was beginning to feel. Hopefully the promise of their new marketing campaign would change that. 


	2. Ryota Kise

Seventeen-year-old Kise Ryota ignored the flashing of the cameras as he subtly moved to change angles and poses from what he knew came out flattering in photos and had enough trust that the photographers knew what they were doing. Not that he would admit it, but he was quickly growing tired and cranky. He had had a particularly tiring basketball practice the night before and he still felt the soreness of his body while standing. He had been holding the same poses for what felt like hours and all he wanted to do was sit down and eat. Maybe take a nap considering how early he had to get up that morning to make it to the shoot a few hours away from his home.

He didn’t know why his manager enjoyed taking the shoots that were farther than an hour away. He guessed he should appreciate that she only did it on weekends and not days of the week when he had basketball practice. He still missed practice sometimes because of the occasional shoots but at least he wouldn’t be giving up too much sleep a night before class. Being in his last year of high school, the pressure to keep his grades up was big. Despite the many scouts that had already shown interest in scouting him for their respective college basketball teams, he wasn’t sure if he would keep pursuing the sport. It wasn’t that he had grown tired of it, he knew that as long as the Generation of Miracles existed, he could never really tire of the thrill of playing a game against any of them.

It was his own shame that he knew he would never be able to lead his team to victory that made him question whether it was worth pursuing it. After his foot injury his first year of high school, he had pushed himself too hard too fast, and he never fully recovered. While he was still considerably better than everyone but the miracles, surpassing those miracles had been his sole motivation and passion for the sport up to this point. And while for the longest time he had believed he could still achieve his goal, constant defeat on an individual level (because his team still pulled through and they had won their share of games), had led him to finally see that perhaps it wouldn’t be so, specially the closer graduation loomed over him.

Not to mention he had options. His modeling career had remained steady through the years, and he had landed several large gigs in the past year alone, something rare in the modeling world for someone his age not associated with a big agency. And if he really wanted to, he could get grades that would get him anywhere for any degree, he just hadn’t found a degree that inspired that sort of effort and motivation on his part, leading to his less-than-impressive report card.

He knew he had plenty of options to secure a good future, he just wasn’t sure where his dedication should be invested, and with a deadline just around the corner, he wished there was something that could make this choice much easier.

“Kise, are you feeling okay? Do you need a break?” the sound of his manager’s voice cut through his musings, and he hadn’t realized that his posture had slumped and his facial expressions gone numb. He watched as she talked to the lead photographer, and he clapped his hands announcing it was time for lunch.

Kise smiled sheepishly as he looked apologetically at his dark-haired manager, dressed in her favorite maroon two-piece suit. He had always thought her feminine but masculine style was appealing, and from the very few managers he had gone through, she was by far his favorite. Despite her tough appearance when negotiating his shoots, she genuinely cared for his well-being, and bothered to consult with him on all the shoots offered to him and not just the ones she thought were fitting or in the agency’s best interest, but would always share her thoughts on the matter. With her, he felt as if he had a say in his career.

“Sorry Anami, I guess the long trip finally got to me.”

Like a tender mother, she placed a hand on his cheek and smiled apologetically.

“I’m sorry sweetie, I tried to get them to schedule the shoot in the afternoon so you could sleep, but they said they had already booked the studio for the morning. And you have to admit this is one of the best shoots we’ve had in a few months.”

“Yeah don’t worry about it! It’s nothing a break and some food won’t fix. Speaking of, what are we eating?”

His stomach chose that moment to growl to accentuate his eagerness, and Anami laughed in amusement.

“I prepared a nutritious lunch for us, with plenty of energy boosting food, and a not so nutritious treat for bringing you out here so early after a long week.”

Kise grinned and followed the woman a foot shorter than him to the break room, nodding his head and thanking the crew that occasionally greeted him and gave him compliments on the shoot and stopped to sign autographs when asked.

The studio was one of the higher end ones, and a buffet had even been set up for the crew and other models also having shoots. The break room was large and spacious, with ceiling windows that let in the clear sky and shining sun for the day. The modern style walls of white and greens made it feel as if they were on a vacation spot rather than a workplace, and for that reason alone it was enough to see that this was the best shoot Kise had gotten in some time.

“Wow, with so much food are you sure that we can’t just eat what’s here? It sounds like a waste not to,” Kise commented as he took in the setup of various foods. There was a salad bar, a hot bar, and even desserts. His mouth practically watered at the smells that assaulted him, but he quickly reigned it in at the sigh from Anami.

“You know better Kise. We have a regimen to follow, and who knows what they put in that food. Maybe a thing or two if I trust it enough.”

“Well I guess that’s the most I’ll get from you.”

“Damn right. Now go find a seat while I go get the food. Try not to get kidnapped okay?”

Kise chuckled and nodded, turning towards the many tables. It looked like there was a second tier in the break room, and Kise didn’t hesitate to take the stairs that would take him up, and was quick to take a table with a good view outside. Since he didn’t have his phone on him, he entertained himself by looking outside. They were on the 15th floor, and the view of the city was nice. From where he sat, he could see an amusement park, and wondered if he could convince Anami to stop there before they left.

Thinking back to his previous thoughts, his mood once more dampened from the weight of it all. Sighing and leaning back on his chair, Kise once more wished it was easier being a multi-talented young adult. He was grateful for his options, but he just didn’t want to make the wrong one. It was that time that he had to use logic to make his decision, in a few months he would be considered an adult, and he couldn’t use the argument that he was young and preferred to follow his instincts over reason. And at this point, his instincts were giving him nothing to go on. He felt as if he was being pulled in different directions.

“There you are. Next time choose an easier spot to find.”

Kise smiled as Anami sat across from him.

“Next time give me my phone so I can text you where I am.”

Anami allowed herself a childish eyeroll.

“Point taken. Here.”

Sliding his phone across to him, Kise eagerly grabbed it and checked his messages and notifications, overlooking his social media accounts in favor of the few messages only those close to him could leave.

He had a message from his sister, a few in the group message between his teammates, and surprisingly, a few in the group chat between the Generation of Miracles. It was rare when the miracles used the group chat that Kise had created years prior, but since he considered them important figures in his life, and wanted to stay in touch, it was nice when they did contribute.

Opening the chat, he saw that it was a video from Momoi, and clicking on “play”, he saw that it was a basketball one on one between Kagami and Aomine. Although the quality wasn’t the best, he could hear Kuroko cheering on Kagami as he dribbled the ball while Aomine guarded his basket.

“Score: 14-13, with Aomine in the lead,” he heard Momoi say in the video, before swiveling her phone to look at Kuroko sitting beside her with Number 2 on his lap. The once puppy was already a full-grown husky, and it was no longer possible to sneak him into their matches in a bag, although Kuroko had managed to make him an official mascot for their team.

Kise felt his heart sink, reminded once more that Kagami was more than able to hold his own against Aomine, and had surpassed him several times in the past few years, more than Kise could say for himself. He remembered when he had thought he was the only one who had a chance at surpassing Aomine, only to have that taken from him as a result of that injury due to his own stubbornness and impatience. Now, the reason he had begun playing the sport was far beyond his reach.

Typing out a message to show his disappointment at not being invited to the game, and accentuating it with more emoji’s than really needed, he replied to all the other messages before looking at the neatly arranged food Anami had placed before him. Pulling up his main social media account, he took a picture of the food before adding a status and posting it. After all, it was important to keep his fans updated on his activities, despite how he could care less. The price of show business and popularity.

“Thanks for the food, Anami!” grabbing his chopsticks, Kise didn’t hesitate to dig in, his stomach no longer able to wait to be filled, as much as a healthy meal could fill a 6’2” basketball athlete and model that is. Thankfully, Anami knew it took enough food for the average three people to fill him and brought plenty.

“Hm. Kise, by chance, do you know what ‘Kaiba Corporation’ is?” Anami asked as she looked at the screen of her phone and nibbled on her food.

Kise paused in his eating to look at Anami’s unusual question, his eyes suddenly wide and shining with excitement.

“Yeah actually! Kaiba Corp is a gaming company that started out by creating holographic technology to make a card game more realistic. Man, that brings back memories, I used to love playing Duel Monsters! I would spend a lot of time making decks and participating in tournaments before I started playing sports seriously. I always wanted a duel disk but it was so expensive and exclusive I never got the chance. Why do you ask?”

Looking intently at her screen, there was a short pause as her eyes scanned whatever was on her screen.

“Well, the agency forwarded an email to me that this Kaiba Corp sent out. It looks like they’re looking for models and idols to represent and advertise their products in a few months.”

Kise practically jumped out of his seat as his eyes widened further and his hunger was forgotten.

“Are you serious? No way! Anami, you _have_ to let me audition! Working for Kaiba Corp was my childhood dream! I wanted to duel Seto Kaiba himself for as long as I knew he existed. This could be a one in a life-time chance to challenge him myself. _Please_ Anami!”

Anami stared wide-eyed at the young man before her, the blonde had a fire in his eyes that she had never seen before aside from the occasional basketball game that she had seen him play in. She blinked and smiled at him.

“Wow. How can I say no to an earnest request like that? The only time I’ve ever seen you so fired up is when you’re playing a basketball game. Never for a shoot. I never thought I’d see the day.”

Anami giggled.

“Well alright then, I’ll make the proper arrangements and let you know. Considering the background you have with the game itself, you should be able to land the job no problem. It looks like they’re being _very_ generous about this too. This might just be the best job in your entire career.”

But none of that phased Kise as a face-splitting grin spread across his face.

“_Yes_! Thank you so much Anami! Wow I can’t believe this is happening! I’m gonna meet Seto Kaiba himself!”

Anami sighed and shook her head.

“Now Kise. Don’t get your hopes up. I imagine this Seto Kaiba, if he’s the CEO himself, might be too busy to even show up for an audition or a shoot. He has people to do that for him.”

Kise was abruptly reminded of the truth behind Anami’s words. It was true that Kaiba would probably be too busy running his company to be there for his audition. Still… he wasn’t going to pass up the chance to meet him.

“Well even if that’s the case. I know Seto Kaiba would never back down from a challenge. I’ll announce my intent to duel him, and he’ll _have_ to meet with me.”

The look of intent and confidence in Kise’s face was enough to send a chill down Anami’s spine, and she was convinced that this was a side of Kise she had never seen before. She suddenly found herself hoping Kaiba was ready for the driven person that Kise Ryota could be, with the right motivation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bahahahaha. What am I doing.
> 
> Honestly this fic has been my personal passion project for probably years now. I currently have thirty chapters written and I wasn't even planning on posting it anywhere but recently decided to throw it out there because why not. Almost 150k words and I don't see the end approaching THAT soon. If people are interested in this madness I've weaved I'll be more than happy to share so this is just me testing the waters.
> 
> Basketball and card games... I mean... it's not that far-fetched is it? They're both games! Haha well either way I'm pretty proud of how I brought them together and if people somehow find this I hope you enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed writing it! Let me know your thoughts!


	3. Yugi Mutou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yugi has a request.

It had been three days since the start of their most recent campaign, and he had been informed that due to their competitive compensation, already they had a strong line up of well-known models and idols around the world interested in auditioning, and a surprising majority of them had background in the game and his products. It was enough to stroke his ego and remind him just how much power he had, and how far his influence reached.

A beep from his cellphone announced one of his alarms, and remembering the time, he remembered today was the day he had scheduled to have lunch with Yugi. He had already made reservations and it would take him half an hour to get there, just enough to make it on time. Calling his driver to be ready, he made his way towards the elevator that would take him down to the ground floor.

Making his way, to the car, he let his driver know their destination and settled back against the seat, closing his eyes as he waited for his driver to let him know when they arrived.

* * *

“Hey Seto, I made it!”

Kaiba looked up from his seat to see Yugi pulling out the chair across from him and sitting down. He had a faint sheer of sweat across his forehead, and Kaiba could tell that he was slightly out of breath.

“You’re late.”

Yugi laughed nervously at the accusation and rubbed the back of his head.

“Sorry Seto, but I’ve never been to this place so I got kind of got lost trying to find it. Next time lets meet at a place we both know, okay?”

Kaiba scoffed, arms crossed in front of him.

“Please, and settle for a mediocre establishment? Sorry Yugi, but I rather starve than find myself in a 3rd rate place. Even for you.”

Yugi sighed, knowing it was no use trying to get Kaiba to do something he didn’t want.

“Besides, ever heard of GPS devices? It’s perfect for finding places you don’t know.”

Yugi knew what it was of course, but the thought hadn’t occurred to him.

“Well, I’m pretty bad at keeping up with new technology. I have to say I really do miss the old days when not everyone had a cellphone and we had to know everything ourselves. Now I just feel out-knowledged by everyone, especially those younger than me who “joogle” everything.”

Kaiba scoffed.

“Please. There’s a difference between retaining knowledge and being able to access knowledge. Just because they can pull up a few facts here and there doesn’t mean they know more than you. Fools like that will always fail because there is no gain from accessing knowledge if they can’t retain it when they don’t have their precious devices.”

Yugi thought on that for a second and hummed in contemplation. As always, it looked like Kaiba had thought plenty on the subject.

“Well, I guess you kind of have a point. But I’m sure you more than anyone can agree that technology has its usefulness.”

“Of course, we wouldn’t be where we are without technology. It’s a matter of how it’s used that makes the difference.”

At that moment, the waitress came by to ask for drinks, and both Yugi and Kaiba settled for water to begin with.

“Eh, this is all really fancy stuff Seto,” Yugi muttered, not sure this was something he could afford without using money he planned to save for his upcoming vacation.

“Get whatever you want. It’s on me,” Kaiba replied, knowing exactly what was going through Yugi’s mind. While Yugi loved what he did, he certainly didn’t make enough money to be able to afford food of this caliber on a daily basis. Specially with the way said technology was putting old school board games out of commission. The only reason Yugi and his grandpa were able to stay afloat was because Domino City was one of the few cities that embraced the history of duel monsters and took pride in being the hometown of Kaiba Corp and the famed King of Games.

“Well if I didn’t know you could afford this restaurant ten times over, I don’t think I’d be able to accept. But alright, thanks Seto! I haven’t had a meal this fancy since I proposed to Téa, and even then, I was too nervous to really enjoy it.”

If memory served him correctly, Kaiba knew it had to be about a year since Yugi proposed to his childhood friend, and at the mention of her, saw an opening of on how to make conversation.

“How is she?” he asked, after all, if there was something Yugi loved to talk about other than games, it was his friends and fiancé. As expected, Yugi’s face lit up with that childlike innocence that he never quite outgrew.

“She’s great, although a little stressed, what with recently having a big break in a musical and still trying to keep up with the wedding plans. We pushed it back to make up for it, but I think she feels a little guilty about it. Even though I told her I don’t mind waiting as long as it takes or take on the wedding plans myself. But of course, she wants to handle it herself.”

“That’s great, Yugi. I’m glad you’re happy.”

Yugi blushed slightly, feeling embarrassed and genuinely happy that Kaiba would tell him that. He had come a long way from the angst filled and immature teen he had once been. While he was still emotionally damaged, arrogant, and power-hungry, he was proud of the progress that Kaiba had made. After all, he knew that only a few years ago, this setting with them having lunch and a civil conversation would have been unheard of. Let alone Kaiba paying for his meal and making the reservations himself. He would have told him to stop wasting his time and just tell him what he needed over the phone when he first called.

The waitress once more arrived at the table, giving them their water and setting down a bowl of bread and butter to entertain them while appetizers and the main course arrived. Both men placed their order and resumed their conversation.

“So, what is it that you wanted to talk about?” Kaiba asked, ready to hear the reason they had come here.

He frowned when he saw the way Yugi stiffened and looked down at his lap, and Kaiba couldn’t help but wonder if this was more serious than he thought.

“Well… it’s about the offer you made me a few years ago, when you met with _him_ for the last time...”

Kaiba suddenly knew exactly who Yugi was referring to and raised an inquisitive brow at the unexpected admission. Although if he was honest with himself, he had expected to have this conversation much sooner.

“You mean, when I came back from the afterlife after seeing Atem for the last time?”

Yugi almost seemed to tense further.

“Y-yeah. You offered to let me use your ship to travel and see him too, and I declined. See, I wasn’t ready to see him again. Even though I had proved to be able to stand on my own, and even though I still missed him, I didn’t feel worthy to face him. Even during that last battle, it was still him that saved the world. Without him, we wouldn’t have been able to survive.”

Yugi paused, and Kaiba remained silent as he waited patiently.

“What I’m trying to say is… well… I think I’m finally ready to see him again. And while I hope that he’s able to watch over us from the afterlife, I’d like to tell him myself about the large step I’m about to take with Téa. I think if he was here, and if it was possible, he would have been my best man, ya know?”

The expression on Yugi’s face was a mix of regret, hope, and longing, and Kaiba nodded.

“I see. Well like I said back then, the machine is ready to go for whenever you want it, and I’m sure Atem would be pleased to see you. I’ll just have to make sure everything is in order. However, in turn, there _is_ something I’d like to ask of _you_, Yugi.”

Interest and curiosity quickly replaced Yugi’s expression as he looked expectantly at Kaiba. He didn’t think there was much he could offer to someone like Kaiba who could have anything he wanted, so he figured it had to be something of a favor.

“Sure Seto, anything.”

Anything to be able to see Atem again.

That familiar conniving grin crossed Kaiba’s face, and Yugi wondered if he had gouged Kaiba’s intent rightly after all.

“You see Yugi, in a few months’ time, my company will be holding a Duel Monsters tournament on a grand scale, just like old times. And I want _you_, the previous King of Games, to be an honorary guest.”

“Eh?! You’re kidding!”

Kaiba leaned back against his chair, folding his arms in front of him and staring straight into Yugi’s shocked eyes.

“You know I never kid Yugi, especially when it comes to the good of my company. It’s a new campaign to bring in more of the younger generation to try our systems, and what better way than to use the original technology of Kaiba Corp. In a very short time, Kaiba Corp will release new technology that will once more revolutionize the gaming industry, and it’s time we remind the world why my company is the top in this country, and pave the path for that release.”

Yugi was once more astounded at the talent and mastermind that Kaiba possessed, and he knew that although it was true that duel monster tournaments had become rarer, if anyone could revive them to their former glory, it had to be Kaiba. And despite himself, he knew that it might be fun to revisit one of his favorite past times, not to mention, the business part of himself also knew that the publicity could boost sales in his own store.

“Well, that actually does sound kind of fun. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in a tournament, and it’s only fair since you’re helping me to basically break the laws of time and physics. Just let me know where and when to sign up and I’ll be there.”

Kaiba nodded, pleased but expecting nothing less from Yugi. Still, it would be nice to finally have an opponent worthy of bringing out his best decks for.

“Perfect. I’ll keep you updated once the plans have been finalized and executed. I expect this tournament to be among one of the best we’ve ever had.”

At the comment, Yugi couldn’t help but give a nervous chuckle, thinking back to their history with tournaments.

“Well, let’s hope that it sticks to Duel Monsters and no more evil ancient powers. I think I’ve had my fill, and this time Atem is definitely not coming back.”

At that point, the waitress once more returned with their food, and the two men began to eat with a newfound fervor and appreciation of the meal. For the most part, the remainder of the lunch was quiet, with only the occasional question here and there. Mostly it was Yugi asking the questions and Kaiba answering them, but occasionally Kaiba had his own questions to contribute.

“Yup, I have one particular game I’m almost ready to reveal. It just needs a few quirks to be fixed but for the most part I feel it’ll be the first game I’m confident might make it big outside of Domino. But I promise, as soon as I’m ready to unveil it, you’ll be among the first to know.”

“Hn.”

Kaiba’s sound of approval could only be deciphered by someone like Yugi.

“Speaking of which, will you be inviting Joey and Duke to your tournament? Maybe even Mai and Bakura? I think they’d like coming back. And it’d be fun having the gang together just like old times.”

Kaiba set his fork down and finished chewing before speaking.

“I have thought about it, and I see no reason as to why not. I don’t plan to have a limit on just how many possible duelists can participate, but the number will effect how long the event will be held for. In my opinion, the more the merrier, so feel free to spread the word to those who stop by your store to stock up on cards.”

Yugi smiled brightly.

“Sure thing Seto! You can count on me. And knowing my friends, they’ll spread the word too. Man, I didn’t think I’d be this excited for a tournament again. Do you think there will be a lot of new younger duelists?”

“My Projections Team has estimated that there is a good chance it will be even between new old and duelists. As for skill, we won’t know until we know who signs up and whether there is any history of prior dueling. There’s a good chance amateurs will be joining too, but as long as everyone enjoys the game and spreads the word, then that’s all Kaiba Corp hopes for.”

Yugi nodded, eagerness and excitement clear on his face.

“I see. Well, I’m sure it’ll be a great turn-out with great duelists!”

* * *

By the time Kaiba was done for the day, everyone else except for the janitorial staff had left. But despite the late hour and his work in the tower itself being done, Kaiba knew that his night was not over just yet.

Ever since he and Yugi parted ways, his request had been on the back of his mind, and with it, the urge to visit a place he hadn’t visited in almost two years. And as he took the elevator that he was the only one on Earth to be able to claim as his own, it wasn’t long before he arrived at his destination, far above the highest skyscraper ever built anywhere.

It had been some time since he last visited the space station he owned, but the caretakers of the place had made sure everything was up to date. Thankfully for him, what he came to see was something only he and Mokuba had the ability to access, and as he made his way through the quiet and desolate space station, he found the door he was looking for, and opened it after several security measures. So far, despite many attempted hacks at his system, no one had been able to get past this well-kept secret.

The room was exactly as he remembered leaving it two years ago, although considering the haze that coming back had been, his memory might not be as reliable as he would have liked. Still, the technology that he kept within this room was not one that he could ever unleash to the rest of the world. Not without desecrating the final resting place of his archrival, one of the very few people he knew he respected. Although once, he would have thought the idea of being able to travel to the afterlife as ludicrous, as well as the idea of magic existing and that duel monsters had once been actual monsters in ancient Egyptian times. At one point in his life, he laughed in the face of those who claimed he was the reincarnation of an ancient priest, with a fate of his own. Once, he had believed himself superior to even the laws of time and space, living and death.

Now, as limitless as his potential and intellect was, he knew he was still naïve.

As he approached the ship within the room, flashes of memories past began to come to mind. The last time he had used this machine had been a bitter moment. He had traveled to the afterlife multiple times after he first invented this ship. He had built it in order to duel, and finally defeat, Atem. The once Pharaoh and his ultimate rival and conquest. The one person that time and time again managed to defeat him, preventing Kaiba from being the ultimate duelist like he had set out to prove. It had taken him years and multiple times of traveling to that dimension, but not once had he been able to defeat the Pharaoh.

He had thought winning would finally fill that empty void in his life, the void that no amount of power or money could fill. He had convinced himself that Atem was just another obstacle, just another living thing that denied him the power and dominance that was his right, one of those obstacles that set out to make him inferior, to put him down. He had grown up to believe that if he didn’t have power, if he wasn’t the best, then he might as well be nothing. That all his accomplishments were insignificant if he didn't stand at the top. But after constant defeat, for the first time, he had chosen to accept his fate, and swallow his pride.

He told Atem that he had finally had enough. That he refused to be the very definition of insanity, to continue to do the same thing over and over again and to expect to win, when time and time again he was proven wrong.

And he left, for what he said would be the last time.

Now, all he had left was his company, a company that no matter how hard he had tried to make his own, he still saw remnants of his stepfather and his past wherever he looked. And even though he still had Mokuba, he had never felt farther from him.

Placing his hand on the cold metal, he wondered what it would take to finally feel at peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kaiba is an edgy boi but I'm here for it. 
> 
> To clear things up this takes place approximately seven years after Dark Side of Dimensions. I thought hard on when I wanted to overlap the two worlds and this seemed like a good way to do it. 
> 
> Kise and the rest of the basketball nerds are in their last year of high school. All will be made clear :)
> 
> I'll post one more chapter and then probably won't post till next week.


	4. Generation of Miracles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rivals that can also be friends.

Kise had been so eager to go back home and find his old dueling cards that he completely forgot how exhausted he had been just a few hours before. The rest of the shoot had been a breeze, and he had told Anami that instead of going home he would be taking a detour back home to his parents’ house to find the cards he had left there. 

While his parents had been surprised, they were also pleased by the surprise visit. They had had dinner and he had filled them in on his plans for the coming auditions. Of course, they asked him about his plans after high school, but he couldn’t give them a solid answer, and just told them his different options. 

After dinner, he had rushed to his room, and searched his room high and low for his cards. But it had been years since he had even touched them, and he couldn’t remember where he had last left them. After relentless searching, he figured he had no choice but to ask the only person who might have a clue…

“Mom!” he called, peeking out the door and hoping he was loud enough to be heard. He continued to look around his room, but he was sure he had looked everywhere. Could they be in the attic or stored somewhere else?

“Yes Ryota?” she asked, stepping inside the room and watching her son curiously.

“Have you seen that old box with cards I used to collect?”

His mom made a show of thinking.

“Hmm. Is it that box that you said it was okay to give to the neighbor’s son?”

Kise gaped as his head swiveled in his mother’s direction.

“What! Mom! Why would you do that?” 

His mom frowned and placed her hands on her hips, lips pursed in that way that told him he had said something wrong.

“Kise Ryota you are not to raise your voice at me like that. I specifically called you to ask if it was okay to give those cards away and you said it was fine, that you would never use them again anyway.”

At her words, the memory came to mind, and Kise remembered with clarity that she was telling the truth. At the time, he had really thought he had been done with Duel Monsters, that he had outgrown it and that his time was going to be dedicated to sports anyway. 

With a groan, Kise fell back onto the floor, feeling like an idiot. 

“Can I go now?” his mom asked, and Kise knew he should apologize.

“Yes. Sorry mom. And thanks.”

She left without another word, and Kise groaned once more. 

“Man, now I have to start all over. And I had such good cards too!”

While it was definitely a downer to have his hard work go to waste, all those duels and tournaments with rare cards at stake, Kise knew he had been to blame. He had just never thought an opportunity like this would ever present itself. 

“Well, at least now I have plenty of money to get even rarer cards,” with a grin, Kise sat up and reached for his phone, intent on finding as many card stores as he could within distance. Anami had said it would probably be a few weeks before the auditions, enough time to spread the word as much as possible, which gave him plenty of time to go on a hunt for cards.

As he got to his phone, he saw that he had some messages from the Miracles, and opened up the chat to see some of the members making fun of Kagami for losing to Aomine after tripping and making a faceplant on the court. Too excited about the turn of events for the day, he decided to share the news of his latest opportunity. After all, what if they used to play Duel Monsters too?

** _Kise Ryota_ **

** _7:45 PM_ **

**Guys! Guess where I’m auditioning for soon! You won’t believe my luck!**

While he waited for a reply, Kise used a search engine to look for card shops around his area, and was surprised to see at least three within traveling distance from his parent’s home. He figured he could go to all three the next day before going back to his apartment before school started for the following week. 

As he planned his route, it wasn’t long before one of the Miracles replied.

** _Aomine Daiki_ **

** _7:58 PM_ **

**If it doesn’t have to do with Mai I don’t care.**

Kise rolled his eyes at the typical reply from the Ace of the Generation of Miracles, but before he could reply another message came in.

** _Satsuki Momoi _ **

** _7:59 PM_ **

**Undercover?!**

Well, he wouldn’t lie, Undercover would be a huge job to land, being one of the top brands in the country. Still, the idea of working with Kaiba Corp was still somehow more exciting.

** _Kise Ryota_ **

** _8:00 PM_ **

** Nope! Do you guys remember Duel Monsters?**

** **

From the chat, he was able to see that Murasakibara and Akashi were also online. 

** _Murasakibara Atsushi_ **

** _8:01 PM_ **

**Is that a snack?**

** _Akashi Seijuro_ **

** _8:02 PM_ **

**No Murasakibara, he means the card game, am I correct Kise?**

Finally! Kise couldn’t help but be glad that at least _ someone _ knew what one of his childhood hobbies was. Leave it to Akashi to know a strategy game. 

** _Kise Ryota_ **

** _8:03 PM_ **

**The very one! My agent told me that Kaiba Corp is holding auditions for models and idols to represent their products. And I’m definitely going to audition. And when I land the job, I’m going to challenge Seto Kaiba himself to a duel!**

Kise once more felt his excitement grow as he typed out his message, and he grinned the same way he had when he had discovered that there was someone that could challenge him when it came to sports in Aomine. At the thought, he wondered if perhaps this was just what he needed. He had felt so suffocated by the looming decisions that he had to make, that he was relieved to have something to look forward to. Something he felt in control over. Something he had no doubts about.

** _Murasakibara Atsushi_ **

** _8:05 pm_ **

**Eh? Well good luck with that Kisechin. I’m sure you’ll get it.**

Kise smiled. Sometimes it was almost adorable how Murasakibara could be clueless but considerate, yet coldhearted when provoked. He figured his words for encouragement were in part thanks to the fact he got him snacks whenever he saw him. 

** _Akashi Seijuro_ **

** _8:06 PM_ **

**Challenging the CEO of Kaiba Corp? Quite ambitious of you Kise. Let me know the result.**

Kise smirked. Ambitious? Well, he figured it could be considered such to some. To him though, it was just a dream and opportunity he couldn’t pass by. 

** _Aomine Daiki_ **

** _8:07 PM_ **

**Kise, what the fuck are you going on about? What the hell is Kaiba Corp and why are you challenging the CEO? Isn’t that the quickest way to NOT get the job?**

Kise sighed and pouted. Leave it to Aomine to ask questions he didn’t really want to explain.

** _Kise Ryota_ **

** _8:07 PM_ **

**Akashicchi, can you please explain to Aominecchi? I can’t answer him when he’s being an insensitive jerk.**

** **

** _Aomine Daiki_ **

** _8:08 PM_ **

**How am I being a jerk?!**

** _Midorima Shintaro_ **

**_8:_** **_09 PM_**

**I believe I can help with that. I used to participate in the game of Duel Monsters.**

Well, Kise couldn’t say he was too surprised to find out Midorima also participated. Like Akashi, he also enjoyed strategy games.

** _Aomine Daiki_ **

** _8:10 PM_ **

**At this point I don’t even care anymore.**

** _Kuroko Tetsuya_ **

** _8:10 PM_ **

**You really are a jerk, Aomine.**

** _Aomine Daiki_ **

** _8:10 PM_ **

**You JUST joined this chat and you’re calling me a jerk?! What the hell Kuroko?!**

** _Kagami Taiga_ **

** _8:11 PM_ **

**Jerk.**

** _Aomine Daiki_ **

** _8:11 PM_ **

**You can all go to hell.**

** _Midorima Shintaro_ **

** _8:12 PM_ **

**If we are done antagonizing Aomine, I will explain his questions.**

** _Momoi Satsuki_ **

** _8:12 PM_ **

**Wait! I haven’t gotten my turn! Daiki is a loveable jerk! Okay, I’m done.**

** _Aomine Daiki_ **

** _8:12 PM_ **

**For the love of ****

** _Midorima Shintaro_ **

** _8:13 PM_ **

**As I was saying. Duel Monsters is a card game created by a man called Maximilian Pegasus. Players collect cards of monsters, traps, and spells, until they have enough to make a deck. When players “duel” they face each other using their decks and strategies, and have “life points” as a way to keep score. When life points reach “0”, that player loses.**

** _Momoi Satsuki_ **

** _8:13 PM_ **

**Ooh, that sounds kind of fun!**

Now that he thought about it, Kise realized that Momoi could be a great duelist. While she didn’t have the physical aspect to be good in sports, she was a great collector of data and her ability to read potential could be applied to types of strategizing in Duel Monster. Hm… perhaps he would help introduce her to the game. 

  
** _Aomine Daiki_ **

** _8:13 PM_ **

**So you’re telling me Kise has been a nerd this entire time.**

** _Kagami Taiga_ **

** _8:14 PM_ **

**1v1 me in duel monsters Ahomine.**

** _Aomine Daiki_ **

** _8:15 PM_ **

**You’re on Bakagami!**

** ** ** _Kise Ryota_**

** _ 8:15 PM_ **

**As happy as it would make me to see everyone start playing Duel Monsters…Let Midorimacchi finish explaining!**

** **

** _Midorima Shintaro_ **

** _8:17 PM_ **

**Thank you Kise. As for Aomine’s other question. Seto Kaiba is the CEO of Kaiba Corp, and the inventor of a holographic technology that made Duel Monster not just a card game, but a game that could be experienced in 3D thanks to his technology. This success made his company the #1 Gaming Company in the country, a feat that has not been surpassed despite the fall in popularity of Duel Monsters itself thanks to Kaiba Corp’s production of high-tech gaming computers and other devices. Not only that, but Seto Kaiba is considered one of the best players of Duel Monsters in the world.**

** _Aomine Daiki_ **

** _8:20 PM_ **

**You are all nerds. I hope this Kaiba guy beats you.**

** _Momoi Satsuki_ **

** _8:20 PM_ **

**Daiki! Be nice to Kichan! You’re supposed to support him!**

**Kise Ryota**

**8:21 PM**

**Thanks Momocchi! At least SOMEONE is on my side.**

** **

** _Akashi Seijuro_ **

** _8:21 PM_ **

**I believe I speak for everyone when I say that we are all cheering you on Kise. Or am I wrong?**

** _Murasakibara Atsushi_ **

** _8:22 PM_ **

**I’m on your side Kisechin.**

_ **K**_ **_uroko Tetsuya_ **

** _8:22 PM_ **

**I agree. I believe in you Kise.** ** **

** _Momoi Satsuki_ **

** _8:22 PM_ **

**Yeah! I don’t know much about Duel Monsters but I can definitely collect data for you! Just say the word Kichan!**

** _Kagami Taiga_ **

** _8:22 PM_ **

**Kick that Kaiba’s ass Kise!**

** _Midorima Shintaro_ **

** _8:22 PM_ **

**Hmph. Defeating Seto Kaiba is no easy feat. You’ll need your lucky item to do it. Let me know when you plan on dueling him, and I’ll tell you what you need.**

**_Aomine Daiki_ **

**_8:23_ **

**Yeah, yeah. Just let me know when you beat him. He sounds like a douche anyway.**

Kise was no stranger to support. He had been lucky to grow up with a supportive family, supportive friends, and eventually, supportive fans. People were always reminding him of his good looks, his amazing basketball skills, and his great potential. And it wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate or question their sincerity. 

But when it was _ these _ guys, the group of friends that surrounded him in some of the best years of his life in middle school, the friends that constantly pushed him to be better, to strive for perfection, to be the best. The ones that shattered what he used to see as a once boring life. It just… didn’t compare to anything else. 

Even if perhaps he would never be able to surpass them all in the sport he had dedicated so many years to, for the first time, he felt that it was okay. He could be content with this, he could be content with rivals that could also be his friends.

** _Kise Ryota_ **

** _8:25 PM_ **

**Thanks guys. I won’t let you down! **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words can't express my love for these basketball nerds, even years after this series it has a special place in my heart and probably the only reason I've been able to write this fic for as long as I have.
> 
> Their interactions are always fun to write and their chemistry is so easy to convey. Can ya'll imagine Akashi dueling??? Hehehe.


	5. Mokuba Kaiba

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mokuba takes a trip to see his dear old brother. And he's a fan of basketball?

Those who worked under Seto Kaiba were convinced he didn’t know what taking time off was. If asked, none would recall the last time they had even heard of a mention of their boss being on vacation. The closest Seto Kaiba had ever been to vacationing was when work took him away from headquarters for an extended amount of time. And even that was more of a vacation for the employees than their actual employer.

So, when word spread that Seto Kaiba would be taking a week’s vacation, being shocked would have been an understatement.

It was unlike the infamous CEO to take a vacation to begin with, it was even more unheard of him doing something as drastic as that right at the launch of one of their biggest campaigns in a long time. Every department was working in overdrive to finalize the preparations for what would be the biggest Duel Monsters tournament in years, and it seemed an odd time for their CEO to be taking a vacation amidst it. And it was for that reason that it wasn’t surprising at the many rumors that spread, ranging from the young genius being sick to having found a lover overseas.

“So, Yuran from accounting called. Apparently, your employees think you have a fatal disease and/or found a lover in America.”

Kaiba scoffed at the news from his brother on the phone.

“You still talk to Yuran?”

Mokuba laughed.

“Not really, but we keep in touch every once in a while.”

“She’s almost ten years older than you.”

“So? Age looks good on her. Besides, age is just a number and _you’re_ avoiding the subject.”

Kaiba would have rolled his eyes if it wasn’t so unbecoming.

“You can’t deny that it’s unusual for you to take vacation. It’s not surprising it throws your employees for a loop. I mean, even when I was a _kid_ the most vacation we took was when I wanted to go to Disney Land. And even _that_ was only a weekend trip. Do you know how much I still wanted to do and see?”

It was only then that Kaiba felt an ounce of guilt for depriving Mokuba of his childhood whims. It was only a stark reminder that Mokuba wasn’t a child anymore.

“It was a waste of time, and times were different back then. Managing Kaiba Corp took more time and effort to make sure it succeeded. I can afford to work less now for the company to thrive.”

He could almost picture Mokuba rolling his eyes in his apartment in America.

“_Right_. And you’re _not_ a workaholic. I’m serious Seto. Just because I’m visiting for a week doesn’t mean you have to stop working completely. Not that I don’t appreciate it but it’s a critical time in the new campaign. I don’t want to take you away from the company when it needs you.”

At this, Kaiba paused. Perhaps he _had_ been hasty to claim vacation at the news that Mokuba would be visiting for a week. But he also knew that he was right when he said his company would fine without him for a week. After all, all that was left was for each department to do their part and proceed as planned. The only thing he had to do was have the final say in certain decisions and make sure he approved all the proposals such as venues and entertainment to meet the Kaiba standards. He was confident that his staff was not as incompetent as some of the earlier fools when Kaiba first begun. He made sure to choose those who worked for him wisely and for the past few years had very little turnover or employees that warranted being fired. He made sure to run with an iron fist, and his employees knew better than to disappoint him.

“It’ll be fine, Mokuba.”

After all, the worst that could happen was for him to have to do damage control when he got back.

* * *

As twenty-one year old Mokuba Kaiba stepped out of his private jet and onto the steps that let him touch ground, the welcomed breeze ruffled his dark blue bangs as he brushed them away from his eyes. It had been a while since he had been in Domino, Christmas to be exact, and simply touching down on it brought a sense of nostalgia.

He loved being away, loved the freedom of it and finally being able to find his own way. He loved attending different colleges with different people and mastering multiple languages, as hectic as his schedule could be sometimes. But it was thrilling, and never was there a dull moment. He had never had so much fun in his life (which, given their history and involvement with ancient evils, didn’t say much).

Still, a part of him felt guilty to be having so much fun when his brother, the one responsible for his lifestyle, stayed back and worked. He knew Seto didn’t mind running a company, after all, for someone that thrived on control and power, there was nothing else he could see his brother doing. Perhaps it wasn’t so much that his brother ran the company that bothered him, as much as it was that he ran it _without him_.

Growing up, he had been sure he would never leave Seto’s side. He had been convinced that he’d be his right-hand man and everything under the sun. But as he grew up, his outlook on life and their relationship changed. While he never stopped looking up to his brother, he realized that he wanted his own path too. He didn’t want to merely exist in his brother’s shadow, or live off his success. As much as he wanted to support him with all he had, he wanted to have his own goals too. Not only that, he wanted to prove that he could make something of himself. That he was worthy of the Kaiba name, regardless of the negative connotations of how they began, they had made something better of that name, something that meant something great and not the remnant of a tyrannical man that made their childhood hell. He could write a whole thesis on the symbolism the Kaiba name represented, but it probably wouldn’t be very educational. 

And despite what everyone believed, the only thing his brother had contributed to his goals since he had become of age was the private jet that took him from school to school, a feat that didn’t happen without a fight either. As for the rest, he had used his own smarts and efforts to earn the money to pay for his schooling. After all, he didn’t grow up around successful businessmen without picking up a thing or two in the process.

“Sir, your brother is waiting for you in the terminal.”

Mokuba nodded and looked at the sky once more before heading to where he knew his brother would be waiting.

* * *

Kaiba was the very picture of nonchalant patience as he stood in the terminal reserved for private jets. It had been months since he had seen Mokuba in person, and he had made sure to be finished with his work so he could personally welcome him back and help him settle in for the week he would spend in Domino.

After all, even if Mokuba was all grown up, it didn’t change that he was still his little brother and the only person that Kaiba would make time for.

On cue, he saw the approaching figure of Mokuba enter through the automatic sliding doors, and felt a warmth in his chest when Mokuba’s face lit up at the sight of him before the young adult broke into a sprint towards him. It reminded him of old times, and he was glad that a part of Mokuba still looked at him with that same sense of wonder.

And while a younger Mokuba would have thrown his arms around his brother’s waist in a tight embrace, this older Mokuba stopped short of his brother, smile just as bright. Mokuba was indeed no longer little and showed it in every aspect. He was tall, although he never grew to be quite as tall as his older brother. He chose to keep his hair long, but now he tied it into a low ponytail at the nape of his neck, with thick bangs framing his face. If memory served him correctly, unlike him, Mokuba looked more like their mother, with softer features, but still inheriting the handsomeness of their father.

“Hey Seto, long time no see.”

Kaiba took a moment to take in his brother, and Mokuba waited patiently, never quite sure what went through his brother’s mind in moments like this.

But when the smallest trace of a smile broke across Kaiba’s face, Mokuba grinned further and reached for his brother in a welcomed embrace as he patted his brother’s back. Kaiba hugged him back, although loosely, he never did quite learn to hug properly.

“It’s good to see you Mokuba.”

The entire car ride to their home was spent with Mokuba filling the usual silence with updates on his studies and travels, the adventures he had been on, the girls he had his eyes on, and anything else he could think off. Kaiba listened patiently and offered comments when he could.

Although Kaiba would never tell anyone, he was glad that his brother hadn’t turned out like him. He was glad that Mokuba could smile freely and without care, glad that he could enjoy life to the fullest despite everything that they had gone through. More than once he would admit to himself that he wondered how it was possible for two brothers to turn out so different, but it would be a waste of his time to truly linger on it. The past was in the past, and this was now.

“So anyway, Seto. One of my high school friends who recently got a job as a teacher and assistant coach at Kaijo invited me to one of their basketball matches. It’s tomorrow afternoon and when he heard I would be back in town he made me promise to come watch. Their school is one of the nationally ranked basketball teams, and he said they’ll be against another top tier school. I know you’re not much for sports, but he said this would be the last year before another match of this caliber would take place, and who knows when the next one might be.”

Kaiba raised an eyebrow at the statement. While it was true that sports had never held much interest to him, it was the context of what he said that raised his interest.

“What makes this game so great?” he asked.

Mokuba visibly perked at his brother’s interest on the subject.

“Well, there’s this group of players known as the Generation of Miracles that play in different schools, and they’re considered basketball prodigies. It’s also their last year in high school so it could be the last time they play competitively. Of course, I’m pretty sure all of them have been scouted for university teams but who knows if they’ll continue. Anyway, I’ve seen a few of their matches on TV and they really are something else. These two schools don’t even normally match up outside of a tournament, but the demand was so high that the schools agreed on making this match happen. Come with me! You’re on vacation anyway. I promise it’ll be worth the travel time!”

Kaiba mulled the thought over. While he didn’t want to get in the way of Mokuba catching up with one of his old friends, he had taken vacation to be able to spend it with Mokuba. And while he had never been a fan of sports, something he didn’t consider worthy of spending valuable time on, he didn’t have much else to do and it wouldn’t work well for him to take vacation only to spend it working anyway. Not to mention, if Mokuba was this worked up over a high school basketball game, perhaps there was merit to his claims. Although sports meant little to him, he was an avid supporter of competitive plays. Maybe this match would be no different.

“Alright Mokuba, I’ll go.”

Mokuba grinned.

“Yes! Do you know anything about how basketball works?” Mokuba asked.

Kaiba closed his eyes, trying to recall anything he knew about basketball from when they played during gym in high school, but all he could recall was the point values and ball handling rules.

“Enough,” he replied.

Besides, he could just research the rules before the match was set to start.

* * *

“Wow! This school is beautiful!”

As Kaiba and Mokuba exited their car and looked at the building ahead of them, it was easy to see why this school was so renowned. It would be the host of the home game for Kaijo, and Mokuba already had the tickets that his friend had sent him to be able to get in. Not only was the school beautiful, but it was also obvious that it was nationally ranked from the sheer amount of people already present. The parking lot was brimming with cars, and if it wasn’t for their private driver, the Kaiba brothers would no doubt have had to spend a considerable amount of time finding parking space.

People were making their way into what he imagined was the building that would host the basketball game, an excited chatter already in the air.

“If I didn’t know any better, I wouldn’t think this was a high school. Wow. Koji wasn’t kidding when he said Kaijo was more than he expected.”

“Hm.”

Kaiba agreed. Domino High School might as well have been a pig sty compared to this school. Not that he cared, his future had been secured the moment he took over Kaiba Corp and getting his high school diploma had been a mere means to be able to keep the company. After all, he doubted many would like to work under a CEO without a high school diploma, let alone stay in power for very long. Not to mention that staying in Domino City made running his company easier than attending a prestigious high school that was farther away. Not that he really needed a prestigious education. His stepfather had made sure to give him all the education he would need right at home.

As they entered the sports building, the Kaiba brothers could see that this building was as beautiful as the rest of the school, with enough room to fit everyone present and then some. It was no wonder that Mokuba’s friend had seen it necessary to send tickets ahead of time, and from the looks of it, they were numbered as well, as Mokuba had told him they were in one of the better seating areas.

They were directed to their seats and while the stands were a little too noisy for his liking, Kaiba had to admit that this already had the atmosphere of a professional match rather than a high school one. After all, he had been around to witness a few high school matches while in school, and they couldn’t hold a candle to this spectacle.

“Wow, this game already feels pretty serious, huh Seto?”

Mokuba looked around in wonderment. Although he wasn’t a stranger to large events, it was the fact that this was a high school game that spoke for itself.

“I can’t wait for the game to start! Look! The players are coming out for a warmup!”

It was true, as Kaiba looked down, he saw both teams on one half of a court starting drills and warm-up exercises.

“Kaijo is the team in white and blue, and the ones in black and red are from Touo High School. Hm…”

Kaiba watched his brother look below intently, as if looking for something, and watched as his expression changed to one of satisfaction.

“There! See the blonde in the white and blue, number seven? That’s Kise Ryota, the home ace. He’s one of the Generation of Miracles that plays for Kaijo.”

Following the direction in which Mokuba was directing, finding this Kise Ryota was simple. He was the only player on the court with blonde hair, and one of the tallest. Although taking a look at the players, most of the players were just as tall with some being taller. He briefly wondered how he’d fare next to him. He did know that basketball favored the tall, which was one of the reasons it was easier for him during the few times they played in high school.

“What’s his special skill?” Kaiba asked, since Mokuba had told him that each player from the Generation of Miracles had a unique ability that set them apart from the rest.

“Kise is known as the Copycat. He can learn and copy any move or play with just one look and return it just as good!”

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. Interesting.

“So that means any play or move used against his team is instantly rendered useless if he knows how it works. Still, it means he and his team still have to be able to counter it too.”

Mokuba nodded at his brother’s assessment.

“Yup! And see the tall dark-haired guy with the mean looking face on Touo’s side? Number five? That’s Aomine Daiki. He’s known as the ace player of the Generation of Miracles. His skill and sheer speed and agility is what set him above the rest, not to mention his unique and unorthodox moves.”

Kaiba was able to easily find the player Mokuba was referring too. He was even taller than the Kise guy, with dark skin and short dark blue hair. Looking at the two players was like looking at night and day. Kise had a more boyish look, while Aomine a rugged one. And from the obnoxious screams around him, it looked like they were both very popular with the girls.

“Remind me how it is you know all this?” Kaiba asked as he crossed his arms around his chest and settled on the benches. He’d rather have a place where he could lean back on, but it seemed even a prestigious school couldn’t make a sports spectacle that much comfortable.

“Dude, you don’t understand. Entire studies are written about these guys! They’re that much of a big deal in the basketball world. They even say that Aomine could be the first player in Japan to be drafted into the pros right after high school. And Kise is considered right up there with him just because having Kise on your team is practically having a one-man army. In fact, there’s some people that argue that Kise is better than Aomine in terms of overall potential and skill, especially when you consider that he’s been playing the sport for much less but is at the level that he is. I think I kind of agree. Which is why I’m so excited for this match! Think about it Seto! We could be watching history in the making!”

“Mokuba, please don’t ever call me ‘dude’ again.”

Mokuba chuckled and rubbed the back of his head.

“Sorry bro, it’s a habit I picked up from America.”

As the warmup exercises were called to a close with the sound of the referee’s whistle, both teams lined up and bowed in front of each other. A match between the Ace and the Copycat, huh? It sounded like an interesting match indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My favorite match in the KnB series is definitely Kise vs. Aomine. It cemented my love for Kise and his relationship with Aomine, which is why they are my OTP.
> 
> Now Kaiba gets to see a similar match... hehehe.
> 
> And can you blame Mokuba for being a fan?? I think not.


	6. Kaijo vs. Touo

Kaiba was vastly disappointed to find out that for the entire first quarter, both members of the famed Generation of Miracles were benched. When he asked Mokuba why that was, he only shrugged.

“Well, if I were to guess, I’d say that since they’re third-years, the coaches want to see how the other regulars do without their Ace. This is going to be their last year after all, so they probably want those that will stay to get a feel of a team dynamic without a prodigy to carry them. And since it’s the third and fourth quarters that are the most critical, the start of the game is as good as any to bench the Ace. As long as the rest of the team can keep a small gap in points that is. Even better, it means that its less time to use up their stamina.”

He had to admit that it was a good possibility, with plenty of reasoning behind it. So far, Kaijo had a six-point lead. It seemed that Touo had a more aggressive and independent playing style, and Kaijo had a heavy dynamic of teamwork. While Touo barely passed the ball except when they absolutely had to, it seemed as if Kaijo was almost constantly passing. Kaiba could see that Touo had more shooters than Kaijo, but they lacked a solid defense. Still, it seemed more often Touo was able to get the rebounds, while Kaijo was good when it came to stealing balls. It was an almost even balance of power, and he wondered just how the scales would tip when Aomine and Kise joined the fray.

It seemed that he wouldn’t have to wait long, as the buzzer signaling the end of the first quarter sounded.

The players in the court returned to their respective teams, Kaijo still ahead by six points, and the rest of their team greeted them with pats on the back and bottles of water.

Kaiba could already feel the atmosphere change with anticipation, everyone clearly just as eager as him to see the aces enter the fray, and it seems Mokuba was no different.

“It’s almost time Seto! You’re going to love this!”

The two-minute break seemed to drag on, until finally the teams began to stand up in preparation, Kise and Aomine being among them.

When the buzzer sounded to signal the start of the second quarter, the teams took their position, and the very second that both Aomine and Kise stepped onto the court, it was as if electricity cracked through the air.

The crowd around them both stilled and roared at the entrance of the supposed legendary players, and if Kaiba had thought the crowd was loud before, it was practically deafening now.

Despite the similar builds in players around them, it was as if the two Aces practically towered over the rest, as if the court recognized them as superior, like alphas in a pack.

As if to add to the spectacle, the two players walked to the center, and although he couldn’t hear them, Kaiba knew the two were speaking to each other. It seemed as if the tip off would be between the aces, and Kaiba could already feel his body tense in anticipation.

The players around them prepared, their bodies coiling and ready for action for when the ball entered play. The referee took his place, and as the two Aces too coiled, he looked between them for seconds that felt like minutes. But before long, the whistle blew, and with it, the ball flew into the air.

It was like watching two buses enter a head-on collision, as both aces shot into the air, arms outstretched. It looked to him as if both players were moving at the same speed, and both of their hands touched the basketball at what looked to be the same time.

For a split second, the ball was at a standstill, stuck between the force of both players. But as Kaiba watched a sly grin spread across Aomine’s face, in that split second the tides turned and Aomine managed to take the ball for his team, his grip tightening around it and sending it to the side where one of his teammates waited. As soon as the ball was within the Touo players grip, the Kaijo player tagging him was on the move, blocking him from moving towards their basket. They struggled for a few seconds, but the Touo player managed to break past him, and soon the players were moving into Kaijo territory.

Just as it looked like the Touo player was getting into stance for a shot, Kise came out of seemingly nowhere, his speed surprising Kaiba as he effortlessly knocked the ball out of the player’s hands and took control of it, his speed taking him past the opposing players and onto Touo’s side of the court in what seemed like a split second.

The crowd went wild and Kise took the ball all the way towards the basket, breaking past one more player before jumping into the air and slamming the ball into the basket with a force that Kaiba could have sworn traveled all the way up the stands.

* * *

When Kise touched down on the ground beneath him, he turned only to find Aomine smirking right at him, and Kise grinned right back.

“How’s that for a homecoming Aominecchi?”

“A little over the top if you ask me. But don’t worry, I’ll make sure to return the greeting.”

Kise grinned. Normally, he would already be feeling as if his heart was in the bottom of his stomach at the prospect of once more losing to Aomine. But today, his spirits were higher than they had been in a long time, and the task of taking on the Ace of the Generation of Miracles once more felt like the tough challenge it used to be rather than the painful reminder that it had been for the last year two years.

“Well then, don’t keep me waiting.”

Without another word, the match continued, and this time, Aomine didn’t hesitate to quickly gain control of the ball, using his speed to almost phase through the players in the movements unique to only him, making the players around him practically disoriented from the lightning fast and jerky movements that made Aomine stand out to all those who watched him play.

As Kise moved to intercept him, Aomine only smirked, eyes going wide in excitement.

“Well Kise, you did say don’t keep you waiting!”

And in an instant, Aomine created just enough distance to do one of his signature moves, and with a single hand around the basketball, brought his hand back to gather energy, before launching it forwards and towards the hoop in his classic formless shot that went into the basket with unbelievable speed and accuracy.

As play resumed, Aomine once more took control of the ball, and in less than two minutes, closed the gap that Kaijo had gained during the first quarter.

* * *

Kaiba couldn’t believe the difference that having the two aces in play could make. Suddenly a normal but even game had reached another level, a level he couldn’t believe was due to two high school players. He felt that if he even so much as blinked he would miss an important play that would once more tip the scales in favor of the other team.

The intensity of the match was overpowering, he could feel the presence of both players from where he sat, like a weight on his shoulders that hadn’t been there before they started playing.

It seemed that as the gap in points closed, Kise got the burst of energy needed to face off against Aomine, stealing the ball and gaining control once more, and although he was at the half court line, he moved into a shooting stance, and Kaiba watched in amazement as the basketball sailed through a high arc and made it into the basket without so much as touching the metal rim.

* * *

"Don’t think you can take over that easily, Aominecchi.”

Aomine smirked back at him.

“Isn’t it a bit early to bring out your copies of the Generation of Miracles? Don’t forget that those copies sap your stamina. Don’t get hasty on me now, Kise.”

Kise placed his hands on his hips, knowing that Aomine was somewhat right, but unable to let him think it affected him.

“It’s you who shouldn’t forget Aominecchi, my stamina is better than ever, and being benched the first quarter, I think I can afford to start a little early.”

* * *

By the end of the third quarter, I was obvious to Kaiba that everyone was reaching their limit, yet the score remained tied. Whenever it seemed that one team was getting the upper hand, the Ace on the opposing team would find a new play to counter them and once more close the gap.

While the aces of the team were holding well, the rest of the team was quickly running out of stamina. After all, from the plays he had seen, Kise was even able to copy Aomine, and having two of Aomine’s in one court was enough to drive anyone to exhaustion. It was no wonder the bench players had to be rotated in often to be able to keep up.

Kaiba was also able to see why Kise was known as a one-man army. His style of play could be defensive one second and offensive the next. It was next to impossible to predict what he’d do next. And unlike Aomine, he tended to also rely on his teammates for certain plays.

Aomine on the other hand, was the very definition of skill, speed, power, and agility. It was as if basketball was like breathing, and he didn’t even have to think about what he was going to do next. It didn’t matter what plays Kise brought against him, he just retaliated with something faster, more powerful, and perfectly executed that Kise struggled to keep up with. After all, Kaiba knew that sometimes it was impossible to be better than the original. And perhaps this was one of those cases.

But, if Kaiba was asked who he thought had the better chance of winning, he knew exactly who he would have picked.

* * *

Kise was surprised at how well he had been able to hold his own against Aomine. But he could feel that he was quickly reaching his limit. He had done his best to use his copies of the Generation of Miracle as sparingly as possible, but Aomine made it impossible to keep up without them. He was still a monster after all.

That familiar ache in his leg was becoming more and more apparent, like a weight becoming heavier the more time went on. It was almost a blessing to look at the time and watch it slowly tick down. He had already done better than he had in a long time, so maybe this time he would be able to hold out until the end of the match.

As he looked at Aomine, he saw an odd look cross his face. It was one he had seen before, one that he could never quite understand, despite his claim of knowing him better than most people. But what he did know, was that it was a look that told him Aomine was not happy.

In fact, he was enraged.

“Kise… you damn fool!”

And with those words, Aomine charged at him.

It was as if a switch was flipped, and a fire ignited in Aomine, because it suddenly looked as if a demon had shot out of hell. With only a few minutes left, Aomine became relentless, completely dominating the court, not letting anyone, not even Kise, come even close to the ball.

And as the clocked ticked down, it became painfully obvious that there was no coming back from this for Kaijo.

“You’re done, Kise!”

With one final dunk, the buzzer sounded, and the game was over.

As the buzzer sounded, Kise wondered why it was that he felt so numb. Then again, why should he be surprised that he lost against Aomine? Hadn’t it become natural, even expected, that he lose? Hadn’t he already come to terms that this was how it would always be?

Still… as he looked at his teammates around him, he couldn’t help but feel guilty. He was the third year, the senior. The players that had once held him up when he felt down had long ago graduated, and now it was his responsibility to hold up those younger than him. Maybe it _was_ his fault that they lost, but he couldn’t let that make the rest of his team feel inadequate.

So, avoiding the disdainful look he knew would be on Aomine’s face, he forced a smile on his face and walked to his teammates.

* * *

“Wow, that was so much more intense than I expected! Seeing this kind of game in person is so much better than on TV. I’m a little sad that Kaijo lost, but it was still a close game.”

Mokuba was practically bristling with adrenaline and excitement, and everyone around them was much the same way from the chatter that permeated the air. The players beneath them were catching their breath, and those in Kaijo were comforting each other while those from Touo were celebrating.

Before long, the referee called for the teams to line up, and announced the winner. The teams bowed to each other once more, and the crowd cheered one last time as the players shook hands.

As the teams cleared the court, and the people in the stands began standing up and heading towards the exits, Kaiba couldn’t help but stare at the empty court beneath, processing what he had just witnessed and what he had expected. In truth, it had been a worthy venture to take this trip with Mokuba. Until that moment, he had never thought anything of sports.

But after watching this match, he realized there was merit to the sport. The skill and strategy displayed by both teams was admirable, and he was reminded that sports were a game like any other after all.

“Seto, let’s wait around a bit. I want to talk to Koji and congratulate the team on a great game! Maybe I can get Kise’s autograph!”

Kaiba remained silent, but Mokuba knew that was the most he would get to an affirmative.

* * *

The atmosphere in the locker room was glum as his teammates dressed silently. Kise had experienced enough loses to know everyone was disappointed. And how could they not be? No one played sports to lose, and everyone had worked hard to be able to win. It stung to have another team win, even though they were still one of the strongest teams in the nation, they played competitively because they strived for the top. It also stung because it was the one team they had not been able to defeat in the three years Kise had played.

As the door to the locker room opened, everyone saw the coach and assistant coach make their way inside. Their faces were serious, but not disappointed.

“All right guys, huddle up!”

The team obediently stepped towards them, and the coach frowned at the lack of enthusiasm.

“Alright, I know that none of you are happy right now, but you have to remember just who it was you played against today. Touo is ranked higher than us, and they are a tough opponent for anyone. But today, I saw you all play better than ever. And don’t forget, it isn’t over yet, the inter-high and Winter Cup are still ahead of us, and by that time, you’ll all have improved even more. Not to mention, this is your last year with your senior, don’t you want to make sure Kise graduates with a victory he’ll always remember?”

At his words, the players in the room stood up straighter and raised their heads, looking intently at their coach.

“So, what do you say? Are you going to let this match keep you down?”

“No!” in unison, the team spoke up, and the coach smirked.

“Are you going to keep training, harder than before?”

“Yeah!”

“Right!”

“Hell yeah!”

This time, without hesitation, several affirmatives called back.

“Are you going to get them back during the Inter-high?”

It was as if their spirits rose, and they stood up even straighter. 

“Yeah!”

Kise smiled proudly at the intensity and conviction behind each of his teammates’ shouts, and that pride was reflected on their coaches’ faces.

“What was that? I don’t think Touo heard you.”

“Yeah!!”

This time, their shouts were louder, and filled the entire room. With a nod, the coach smiled.

“That’s much better.”

For the first time, the players of Kaijo smiled and laughed, playfully bumping into each other, their spirits raised and their blood now pumping with the itch to repay their opponent and reclaim their victory, the itch that came after a hard fight and the promise of a second chance.

Yet despite how glad he was for his teammates, Kise felt that that same weight at the pit of his stomach that reminded him of his failure.

* * *

“Alright Seto, Koji texted me back so we can meet him by the exit. He says the players are almost getting ready to leave, so if we want to meet them, now’s our chance.”

As Mokuba led the way away from the stands, Kaiba followed him.

No offence to the players, they had done well in the match. But the only player he had any interest of meeting was Kaijo’s Ace. After all, Kaiba wasn’t the type to praise those who were merely average, but Kise Ryota had proven to be anything _but_ average. While normally he wouldn’t even consider the losers as worthy of anything, he knew that Kise’s skills spoke for themselves.

So, when the familiar sight of blonde hair caught his attention as he rounded a corner, Kaiba paused. The figure was none other than the side profile of Kise Ryota himself, and Kaiba watched as he rounded another corner and out of his sight.

Noticing his brother not following, Mokuba turned around and saw him looking into the distance.

“Seto?” he questioned.

There was a second of silence before his brother answered him, his gaze never once moving from wherever it was he was looking.

“Go on Mokuba, I’ll catch up.”

Mokuba looked at his brother in confusion, but knew better than to question him on the matter. Kaiba never did anything without reasoning behind it.

“Sure bro.”

As Mokuba continued to his destination, Kaiba walked in the opposite way, in the direction of the figure he had seen go off on his own.

* * *

As Kise opened the door that would lead outside, the nighttime breeze that touched his skin felt like a gentle and welcomed caress. His teammates hadn’t questioned him when he went ahead of them, already used to his need to be alone after a loss. They had only told him he did great and thanked him for getting them so far, that they couldn’t have done it without him.

It was moments like those that made the weight in the pit of his stomach heavier. He was grateful to have supportive teammates, but it was for that reason that the loss felt heavier with the knowledge that he couldn’t give them the victory like he wanted to, as was his duty as the Ace of Kaijo. It was his final year of high school, and although he had defeated the rest of the members of the Generation of Miracles at least once, Aomine had been the only one he hadn’t managed the same feat. He also hadn’t been able to beat Akashi, but that was because their teams had never been matched up to play against each other. Aomine however, he had lost to countless of times.

Kise walked towards the fountain behind the sports building, the familiar sound of the rushing water bringing him a sense of calm that this place often did at night. He preferred it around this time, when there was no one around to disturb the quiet calm. No high-pitched giggling of high school girls and hardy laughter of boys.

Just him, the surrounding darkness, the sound of rushing water illuminated by the lights inside the fountain, and his hectic thoughts. Sometimes it was easier to shut down his thoughts than others, but he already knew that night would not be one of those times.

“You played well.”

Kise was startled by the unexpected voice. He didn’t recognize who it was from the low almost throaty quality, and as he turned in the direction of where it came from, it was hard to make out who they were. They were standing in one of the shadows created by the many trees in the courtyard, and Kise could only just make out their outline. They were tall, that much was obvious, and wore a long trench-like coat that flared around them in a way that seemed to defy gravity.

Kise stood straighter and put his hands in his jacket pockets, offering a half-assed smile to the mysterious stranger.

“Thank you. Did you come to cheer for us? If you did, thank you for your support. Normally we win, but Touo is a tough opponent. Sorry if we let you down.”

Kise was a rambler, he knew that. But it was second nature to respond with responses befitting an idol, and even in his sour mood, it was something that came without thinking. In truth, he rather be by himself. He wanted this person to say what they wanted and leave so he could return to his thoughts.

“I didn’t come to cheer for you.”

Kise stiffened at the unexpected response. He was used to compliments coming from his fans, and despite what the stranger said, it raised the hairs on the back of his head. After all, Kise also had enemies, bullies from opposing schools, and he had enough run-ins with them to be on guard. This could very well be one of them.

“I didn’t come to cheer for anyone. I’m not much of a sports fan, really.”

The clarification only served to confuse Kise. Who was this person to compliment his playing only to say he doesn’t like sports? Still, it wasn’t like Kise to be rude until provoked, but quite frankly he was quickly growing annoyed.

“Oh? Well what brought you to watch our game then?”

Kise shifted his footing, angling his head in hopes of maybe catching an angle that would let him see the mystery guy better, but received no luck.

“It seems my brother is a fan, and he thought bringing me to see your match would be a worthy venture.”

Kise couldn’t help but frown slightly, not quite sure how to take his response and what exactly he meant by it. The way he said it made it seem almost as if he should be flattered that he bothered to come watch their game. Well, Kise was used to cocky bastards, and being one himself, rose to the challenge.

“Well, was it, a ‘_worthy venture’_?” Kise emphasized his words with a confident smirk, not willing to let this guy demean him in any way.

There was a pause, and as a breeze picked up, Kise noticed the way the man’s coat moved from the corner of his eyes, but refused to look away from where he knew his eyes would be.

“If I had to be honest, I’d say it was one of the better displays of skills I’ve seen in a while. Normally, I wouldn’t congratulate someone who lost, but the rate of your skill is commendable. Your reputation precedes you.”

This guy was no doubt praising him, albeit in a backhanded way, but Kise couldn’t accept it until he knew just who it was and why they spoke as if he should be grateful that he bothered to even speak to him. He was Kise Ryota; basketball star, model, idol, and he refused to be talked down to.

“Who are you? I’d like to know the name of the person praising me so _highly_.”

There was another pause, as if the person speaking to him was considering whether it was worth it to reveal his identity. But after only a moment, the man stepped forward, and as he stepped away from the shadows and into the light, Kise felt as if he had been splashed with ice cold water.

Because he knew exactly who the man was. The person he once idolized as a child now stood before him, looking just the same as he remembered when he was younger. But in person, he looked much bigger than life. Now he could say that his TV appearances and photos did him little justice with the very presence that he exuded.

It was the same presence he felt when facing off against a strong opponent in the court. Except this wasn’t a court. This was the courtyard behind his school, after one of his matches, one that he _lost_, and the very last place he ever expected to meet him.

As he looked straight at him, his face devoid of expression, with his brown hair framing his handsome face, and piercing blue eyes staring back at him, Kise felt his heart skip a beat.

“My name is Seto Kaiba. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Kise Ryota.”


	7. Recognition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm doing this thing where if I finish a new chapter I'll go ahead and post a chapter ahead of schedule. I have quite a bit written up so I want to take my time posting new chapters in case I hit a writer's block or something like that. I'll update again on Sunday but here's an extra since I finished another chapter :)

Kise wasn’t sure if he could move even if he wanted to. The shock and awe combined with the overpowering presence of the famous CEO of Kaiba Corp was enough to short circuit every nerve in his body. And still, over the haze, one thought managed to break through.

Seto Kaiba, _the_ Seto Kaiba… _knew_ him. He knew _him_, Kise Ryota, and had _acknowledged_ him, his _skill_, even after he lost. Realizing that perhaps this was not the best time to look like a fish out of water, Kise used the remainder of his coherent mind to snap out of his shock and haze, and stood straighter.

“The pleasure is mine, Seto Kaiba. Can I count on you to see us win in the next game? I’d hate for you to base my skills on this game alone.”

He was amazed at where this cool persona of his had come from. He expected his excitement and giddiness to make him act like one of his own fan girls in the presence of Kaiba, but something told him to keep himself in check. That if he had Seto Kaiba’s attention as it was, then he better not ruin it by acting like an idiot. Not only that, he needed to make sure it wouldn’t end here.

Kise watched in fascination as an amused smile spread across Kaiba’s previously stoic face, and a chill ran down his spine.

Damn, keeping his cool was harder than he thought.

“That’s quite bold you of you, Kise. Claiming you’ll win after a loss. Didn’t you come out here to mope?”

Ouch. That kind of stung. Well, he did know Kaiba was known for his ruthlessness as much as for his skill and genius. Still, Kise refused to let his words affect him. So instead, Kise only grinned, tucking blonde strands of his hair falling in front of his eyes behind one of his ears.

“Mope? I prefer the term ‘reflect’. Of course, I hate losing, and I’m definitely bummed. But moping won’t do me very good, would it? So, I came to enjoy the peace and quiet and reflect on my plays. What about you? What’s your excuse for being out here? You say you’re the type to only speak to winners, but I lost, and yet you’re congratulating me. Did I still make you a fan?”

Kise gave himself a mental to pat on the back for his great comeback, as well as for hiding just how much his loss _did_ affect him, and waited with bated breath and a racing heart at what kind of response Kaiba would give him.

Unfortunately for him, Kaiba was silent, taking his time and merely staring at Kise in a way that Kise knew meant to unnerve him. And quite frankly, it was working. Although it was Kise that had challenged him with his questions, Kise felt as if it was him being judged, and he had to resist the urge to shift on his feet at the stare from the man across from him.

Finally, he answered, his hand reaching into his pocket while his body turned away from him as if getting ready to leave.

“Ask me again after your next game.”

With that, Kaiba’s coat trailed behind him as he turned in the direction of where the door that led back into the building was.

“Have a good evening, Kise Ryota.”

And with that, Kaiba was gone.

* * *

Kise would be lying if he said he wasn’t shaken after the meeting with one of his childhood idols. In fact, he was surprised his legs didn’t give under him from the way they felt like jelly, and it definitely wasn’t from the strain of playing a hard-fought basketball game.

“Holy shit…”

Kise breathed deeply, placing a hand over his chest and willing his heart to slow down before he had a heart attack. But before long, the excitement he was trying to quell became overpowering, like an energy spreading throughout his body as a large grin spread across his face.

“Ahh!” he couldn’t control the yell of victory as he punched the sky, “I met Seto Kaiba!”

Like a child, Kise couldn’t help but jump up and down, realizing that he probably looked ridiculous but not caring if anyone saw him. The happiness he felt was too strong to feel embarrassed about his antics.

How could this happen? What were the chances that Kaiba would be watching his game that night? But man, why that night of all nights? If it had been any other team, Kaiba wouldn’t have seen him lose. Then again, only the Generation of Miracles were able to bring out his best plays. So maybe it was a good thing that he had seen him play against Aomine. And now, he even knew his name! He even said he knew about him and his reputation. Talk about childhood dreams coming true.

“There you are!”

Kise turned to the sound of the voice, seeing the assistant coach, Koji, walking towards him.

“I’ve been looking for you. There’s someone that wants to meet you.”

Kise blinked, coming back to reality and remembering just where he was. He had completely forgotten that his team was probably still waiting for him. But who wanted to meet him?

“Uh, sorry coach. Who wants to meet me?”

* * *

“Seto! There you are!” Mokuba smiled as he watched his brother approach.

“Koji went to look for Kise,” Mokuba’s smile soon fell away and turned into confusion when Kaiba walked past him.

“Where are you going?” he asked, and was pleased when Kaiba paused, although he didn’t turn around.

“I’ll wait in the car. Take your time.”

“Eh?! You don’t want to meet Kise?”

Instead of answering, Kaiba just continued walking, and Mokuba frowned and crossed his arms across his chest.

“Typical Seto…” Mokuba sighed, but remembering that he would be meeting Kise, smiled and once more became excited.

He was just about to pull out his phone when he heard the sound of voices and footsteps coming towards him and looked up to see Koji with a smiling Kise next to him. Mokuba was able to see why Kise was known as the “Golden Boy”. He really did seem to brighten up a room with just his presence. Kise wasn’t doing anything but walking and smiling, making obvious small talk with Koji, and yet he exuded an aura of cheerfulness that somehow raised Mokuba’s spirits.

“Hey Mokuba, look who I found.”

Mokuba grinned at his friend and turned his attention to Kise once more as the pair stopped in front of him. Kise was just about his brother’s height, maybe just the slightest bit shorter.

“Good evening! I’m Kise Ryota, on behalf of my team, thank you for coming and supporting our school!”

Kise politely bowed, and Mokuba smiled. Man, he really was an idol on top of a star basketball player.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you! My name is Mokuba. You and your team were amazing out there! I’ve never seen such an exciting basketball game. Thanks again for inviting me Koji.”

Koji smiled, obviously pleased.

“It would have been a shame for you to miss a game like this while your busy schedule allows it. I was just telling Kise about the scholar that you are, and that he might be able to get some advice from you now that he’s getting ready to make a lot of big decisions for where he’ll go after high school.”

Mokuba looked back to Kise, who was nodding in agreement.

“Well, considering your skill in basketball, there’s no doubt that will be an option for you. Is there any field that interests you aside from sports?”

Kise’s smile fell as his lips pursed and he looked contemplative.

“Well to be honest, I’ve tried thinking about it for a while now, but there’s not very many fields that interest me. I definitely can’t see myself working in an office all day, that sounds awful! I don’t really have a favorite subject, and the only things that I really enjoy are basketball and modeling, but they’re both things that I don’t see myself doing forever given the nature of them. So I really would like to have an education to fall back on in the future, I just don’t’ know what’s something I would like to do.”

Mokuba was surprised at the honesty that Kise presented him with, and it gave him a whole new perspective of what a genuine guy he was. It definitely added him to his list of respectable people.

“Well, have you ever thought about working for a gaming company? It might sound like an office job, but there’s actually a lot of creativity involved, depending on what you would like to work on. You could help design the games themselves, or help with the technology involved in playing them. It’s also a growing field, and one I don’t see dying anytime soon the more technology-centered our society becomes. I’m telling you this because my family runs a gaming company, and if you ever wanted to join us, I’d more be willing to take you on… well as long as you know what you’re doing. My brother doesn’t take kindly to mediocrity, and he has more say in the company.”

Just as he finished, Mokuba pulled out his wallet and reached for one of his business cards, the ones that featured the KaibaCorp logo and his contact information, before handing it to Kise.

As Kise read over the card in his hand, his eyes widened once more. The KaibaCorp logo was a familiar sight, and suddenly all the pieces fell into place.

“You’re Seto Kaiba’s younger brother! You’re part of KaibaCorp!” the words were out of his mouth before he knew it once the realization fell into place.

Mokuba looked sheepish as the sudden declaration.

“So you do know of us, huh?”

Kise nodded eagerly, his smile suddenly shining brighter.

“Of course! I used to play Duel Monsters when I was young and I always wanted a Duel Disk! But my family didn’t have the money for it so I was never able to get one. I remember wanting to work for KaibaCorp and helping make future duel disks. I just never thought I would ever be able to! Wow, I almost forgot about that. After I started playing sports and modeling seriously, duel monsters kind of became a thing of the past.”

Kise couldn’t believe the turn of events his life had suddenly taken. Not so long ago he had found out about the auditions to become a model for KaibaCorp products, and now he had met the Kaiba brothers in the same day! What were the chances? He had been thinking about the best way to make sure Kaiba noticed him during the auditions that he had never imagined he would end up at one of his matches and talk to him in person. And he had been so star struck that he had completely forgotten about the chance of battling him in a duel and possibly working for him.

“Well what do you know, maybe it was fate that we meet then. Tell you what, I’ll give you a complementary duel disk, and maybe you can rekindle your history with Duel Monsters. I can also give you a tour of KaibaCorp, and the different jobs involved. Maybe if you see something that piques your interest, it will make choosing a career easier for you.”

Kise was almost at a loss for words. His childhood self was screaming with joy right now, and he couldn’t believe the amazing opportunity that was now presented to him. Just how lucky could he get?

“Wow… that would just be… wow. You have no idea what that opportunity would mean to me! Thank you so much!”

Once more, Kise bowed, much deeper this time.

“H-hey don’t mention it. It’s not a big deal…”

Kise straightened up and flashed Mokuba another bright smile.

“Oh but it is!”

This time, Mokuba couldn’t help but smile back at the excited and grateful look on Kise’s face.

“Alright then, how does this weekend sound? I’m only here for a week, but I’d be more than glad to give you that tour.”

“A-are you sure? Wouldn’t you want to spend your time here doing something else?” while Kise sincerely hoped Mokuba would say no to that question, he knew it was only right that he ask.

“Nonsense. I’ll have plenty of time to do what I want and more. What’s a few hours to help someone who could be a future employee of KaibaCorp?”

Kise thought he might cry tears of joy at how those words sounded to his ears, and he had to resist the urge to throw himself at the shorter man with the sudden urge to hug him in gratitude. Not to mention… this paved the way for one more thing. The one thing he wanted most in that moment.

Surprising both men in his presence, Kise suddenly straightened, a very focused and serious look on his face replacing his previously excited expression as he stared straight at Mokuba.

With that look, Mokuba felt as if he was looking at a completely different person. Kise’s bright brown eyes were now a molten gold, burning with a fire that Mokuba had only seen during the basketball match, and it sent a chill down his spine.

“I have just one more favor.”

* * *

As Mokuba rode beside Seto on their way back home, he couldn’t help but think back on his night, and how it had turned out to be much more than just a great basketball game. Above all, Kise had turned out to be much more interesting than he initially thought. He really was more than just an amazing basketball player, and he hoped that he would be seeing many more sides of him.

“Seto, what are you doing on Saturday?”

Kaiba turned to his brother, wondering if he had thought of something else for them to do.

“I have nothing planned.”

Mokuba smiled.

“Good! Keep your schedule open. I have a something planned for us.”

“What’s that?”

At Kaiba’s question, Mokuba grinned.

“It’s a surprise. So don’t even bother asking anything. But I think you’ll enjoy it.”

Mokuba turned towards the window, knowing his brother would be giving him an inquiring look. Still, he knew that his brother wouldn’t ask him any questions as it would be a waste of time. And he knew that his brother trusted him enough to know he wouldn’t take him anywhere he wouldn’t like. Still, despite the fact that he really wanted to enjoy his time home, he already couldn’t wait for the plans he had for that day.

He only hoped that Kise wouldn’t disappoint.


	8. Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kise asks Momoi for help. Aomine tags along. Friendship ensues.

“Oi, Kise! What’s the big idea inviting Satsuki out?”

Kise looked up from the cards in his hand at the sound of the unmistakable loud voice to the sight of the two approaching figures of his pink haired female friend and his basketball rival, only to yelp as a basketball was thrown his way, directed at his face, and moved in time to just barely dodge it as he leapt away from the bench he had been sitting on.

“Aominecchi! Watch where you throw that! That’s my modeling face you were aiming at!”

Aomine only scoffed, making his way towards the blonde boy until he was directly in front of him.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

Aomine was currently glaring daggers at Kise, who only blinked in confusion until he realized just what the taller man was implying.

“Ehh, Aominecchi! You should know better than anyone that I have no such intentions towards Momocchi!” Kise pouted as he folded his arms and turned away from the blue-haired man in contempt.

From where she stood, Momoi just laughed at the exchange.

“Don’t listen to him Kichan. That’s just his way of trying to play one on one with you. That’s why he brought the basketball with him.”

Kise turned to look at Aomine’s guilty expression, and laughed at the dark tint on his cheeks. The fact that he wasn’t arguing spoke volumes.

“Well if Aominecchi wanted to play, he should have just asked. I have plans with Momocchi today! I don’t want to play basketball…”

Both Momoi and Aomine stared Kise in surprise. Kise always looked forward to basketball, even when it was spontaneous, and the only reason Momoi had let Aomine come was because she had been sure Kise wouldn’t have minded playing after their business was taken care of.

“Oi, Kise, do you have a fever or something?”

Without waiting for an answer, Aomine placed the back of his hand against Kise’s forehead, and Kise flushed in embarrassment before swatting the hand away.

“I am _not_ sick. It’s just… this is a little more important right now, and I don’t have a lot of time to spare.”

Both Aomine and Momoi continued to stare at Kise as if he had grown a second head, and Kise shifted uncomfortably where he stood.

“Jeez, is it that hard to believe? Besides, we just played a game a few days ago Aominecchi. You can wait a little longer to play if that’s what you want. I’m sure Kagamicchi will be up for a one on one if you _ask_ him, like a normal person would. I would think you’d take advantage of his visiting.”

Aomine only narrowed his eyes at Kise, clearly not pleased his plans hadn’t worked out if the frown on his face was of any indication. Kise had always been one of the few players that he learned would be there at the drop of a hat if he asked to play, unless he had a modeling job, and the fact that he was denying a game right in front of him told him there was clearly something wrong with the picture in front of him. For a second he wondered if maybe this was just Kise still being hung up on the defeat of said game from a few nights ago, but Kise wasn’t the type to openly show how much losing bothered him. He would force himself to play at the very least.

“Alright, then what _is_ so important that you’re turning down basketball and need Satsuki for?”

At Aomine’s question, Kise brightened, and held up his one of his hands to show that he had been holding onto what looked like a deck of cards.

“I need Momocchi to review my strategies with me!”

It was Aomine’s turn to blink in confusion, and it took a moment to remember the conversation they had some time ago.

“_Oh_. Is this about those Battle Monster things you were going on about the other day?”

Kise’s eyes narrowed at the disinterested and almost mocking tone in Aomine’s voice.

“It’s _Duel_ _Monsters_, and yes, I need Momoi to help me decide on the best strategy with the cards I’ve collected. Isn’t that right Momocchi?”

Momoi had chosen to sit on the bench and hummed in agreement.

“Yep! I’ve been reading up on Duel Monsters and I actually started collecting some packs myself. I don’t have enough for a good solid deck yet, but it’s actually really fun putting a deck together! I think I might have found a good hobby outside of analyzing you basketball nerds.”

“I can’t believe you’re turning down basketball for a card game. What a waste of a trip. Whatever. Let’s go to Magi burger and you nerds can talk about card strategies while I at least get something to eat.”

Kise and Momoi shared a look of annoyance before bursting out laughing.

“Alright Aominecchi. Since you came all the way out here, I _guess_ the least we can do is feed you, even though _you’re_ the one rudely interrupting _us_.”

* * *

By the time Aomine’s mini pile of burgers were ready, Kise and Momoi were already sitting down, cards splayed out in front of them, and the two animatedly talking and pointing, moving cards around and grouping them together, Kise seemingly explaining something about each of them while Momoi looked on with what looked to be intense focus, nodding here and there as she listened on intently.

To Aomine, it sounded like a bunch of gibberish. And when Aomine Daiki did not understand something, it only served to irritate him. Hence, the very reason why he tolerated very few things outside of basketball. Despite this, he sat down across from the two and set his tray of food down, unwrapping his first burger and narrowing his eyes as he looked at the cards splayed out in front of him, eyeing them as if he stared hard enough they would just make _sense_.

“This all looks great Kichan, you have a lot of different combos you can use, but the suggestion I would make is try to narrow down your cards. The less cards in yours deck, the better the chances that your combos will work out.”

Aomine watched as Kise looked at Momoi in amazement.

“You really are amazing Momocchi! That’s exactly why I wanted to talk to you, I can’t decide on which cards to take out in order to narrow down my deck. They’re each so useful and deciding is so hard!”

Momoi smiled at Kise, eyes shining with what Aomine knew to be determination.

“Don’t worry Kichan! We’ll figure this out. How about we start with this…”

Once more Aomine became lost in the gibberish, and by the time he was on his third burger, he had completely blocked out the excited pair, instead choosing to admire a brunet girl that had just entered the fast food place with her friends, her skirt particularly short and her shirt showing a nice amount of cleavage. He was just considering whether he should try talking to her when the voice of Kise broke through his musings.

“Aominecchi! Watch where you put your dirty wrappers! I don’t want my cards to get grease on them!”

Aomine blinked as he looked back at Kise, his eyes narrowed while his lips were pouting like that of an angry toddler whose toys were being played with by another kid. It was enough to make Aomine grin in amusement.

“Oh? So you mean I can’t do this…”

To demonstrate, Aomine pushed the dirty wrapper closer to the cards, and laughed when Kise practically shrieked and pulled the cards back and away from the wrapper, his face going an interesting shade of red as he glared at Aomine in a way that made him surprised he hadn’t suddenly burst into flames from the intensity of it.

“Geez. Calm your panties. Are you almost done? Or should I go find another way to entertain myself?” Aomine’s gaze flickered in the direction of the three girls that had come in and still ordering, but it seemed only one of his friends caught the discrete act.

“We barely got here Aominecchi! Stop being annoying and finish your food quietly like a good boy.”

Aomine glared at Kise while the blonde only smirked, before returning to the discussion he had been having with Momoi as they returned to the cards spread out in front of them, and Aomine unwrapped the next burger on his pile of food. It wasn’t long before he finished it and the rest, and quickly growing bored, returned to scanning the restaurant, glad to see that the group of girls that came in had sat within his line of sight.

He was pleasantly surprised to see that one of the girls was staring back at him, and he smirked when she caught his gaze and blushed, hurriedly looking away as if she had been caught doing something she shouldn’t have been. It wasn’t the girl that first caught his attention. This one had shorter hair, black hair cut just above her shoulders, and her attire much more appropriate, but maybe due to her smaller figure than anything else. Aomine decided to keep staring, hoping she would look back, and if she did, maybe he would seek out some entertainment after all…

It took a few moments, but eventually, the girl looked up, and as Aomine caught her gaze, he smiled, and when she hesitantly smiled back, Aomine made his decision.

“Be right back…”

Without looking at his friends, Aomine got up and made his way over to the occupied table, smiling before sitting across from the girl that he had smiled at. 

* * *

“Thanks again Momocchi. If you need any help with your deck, don’t hesitate to call. I have a feeling you might be needing one soon.” Kise winked at Momoi, and the pink-haired girl smiled at the blonde.

“Thanks Kichan, you’ll be the first I call!”

The three friends stood at the intersection that would take them home, the blonde going in a different direction than the other two. They had stayed at Magi’s most of the afternoon, the dusk sky a reminder of that. The streets had cleared out in their area, with most people being in the shopping districts at this time.

“Sorry we couldn’t play today Aominecchi, maybe next time we’re both free,” Kise smiled apologetically at the darker man, and Aomine had to resist the urge to pout.

“Yeah yeah, I’ll make sure to _ask_,” Aomine replied, and when Kise grinned, he couldn’t help but grin back.

“See you guys next time!” Kise turned around, offering one last wave before making his way to the train station where he would catch his train home.

Momoi watched from the corner of her eyes as Aomine’s gaze stayed on Kise’s figure, his face relaxed and quietly contemplating in such a serene manner that caused Momoi to frown and elbow him in the side, not hard enough to bruise but hard enough to cause some pain.

“Ow! What the hell was that for?”

Momoi’s glare did not leave her face as Aomine stared back with a frown, his hand over the area she had elbowed.

“Don’t you dare look at Kichan like that, especially after what you did tonight!”

Aomine’s frown turned into one of confusion, and Momoi sighed with exasperation, her hand cradling her forehead at the obliviousness of her best friend.

“Need I remind you that it hasn’t even been a half a year since you and Kichan broke up? It’s insensitive of you to flirt with those girls with him around! And to have the nerve to still look at him like a love-struck puppy! Urgh, you make me so _mad_!”

Aomine recoiled at the sincere anger radiating from his best friend, hands subconsciously digging into his pockets as his posture slumped and he resembled a scolded puppy, gaze averted and unable to look at the furious girl. It was rare when Momoi became angry like this, and he knew that when she did there was good reason for it, and that was enough to make him feel guilty about the situation. He opened his mouth to retort, but closed it when he realized he didn’t have anything snarky to say.

Seeing this, Momoi sighed, her anger leaving her at just how defeated he looked, and she felt the familiar tendrils of sadness and pity when it came to her best friend’s situation.

“I understand why you broke up with him, Daichan. But it’s been six months and the only thing that’s changed is that you’re both hurting over the breakup, and neither of you even bothered to talk about it. You guys pretend like it’s easy for you to go back to being friends, and you may be fooling everyone else, but not me. Kichan still has no idea why you broke up with him because he’s too prideful to confront you about it, and you haven’t even tried to tell him because of your stupid stubbornness. And as much as I would love to tell him myself, it’s up to you to salvage what you can, or continue to be an idiot and lose him for good.”

Aomine sighed, straightening slightly before beginning to walk in the direction of their neighborhood.

“It’s not that easy…” he mumbled, just loud enough that Momoi just heard him as she walked by his side.

“Why not? Anything is better than just ignoring the elephant in the room… how can doing nothing be easier?” Momoi felt her eyes begin to sting. Curse her sensitivity to things like this. She had really cheered for Aomine and Kise, loved the idea of them and thought that they were perfect for each other. They had been so happy together, and no matter what they said or how easily they slipped back into their roles as friends, she _knew_ that they missed each other. She had seen in it in the way Kise’s light had dimmed when Aomine left to join those girls at their table.

“It just isn’t…”

And there it was. That tone of finality in Aomine’s voice that told Momoi he had nothing else to say, that whatever he was thinking he would keep locked up, and nothing she tried or did would get it out of him. She hated this side of him, this side that refused to let her in and help him, that didn’t want to share his problems with anyone else, even the one person that had been beside him through it all, the person who would do anything and everything to help him in any way possible.

* * *

Kise sighed as he leaned back against his seat in the train, hood pulled over his head and earphones in his ears. As the train began to move, the world blurred past him as he tried to focus on the steady rhythm of the band currently playing on his phone, but his mood was anything but the up-beat tempo of the music. What should have been a night full of accomplishment was now tinged with a bitter taste in his mouth.

He had done what he had set out to do with Momoi, his deck was near perfect, and while he should be giddy with excitement at the prospect of using his new deck, all he could think of was the stupid sound of Aomine’s laughter as he talked to those girls.

He had thought that after almost half a year of being broken up, he would be over that idiot by now.

“Stupid Aomine…” he mumbled under his breath, closing his eyes and resisting the urge to grind his teeth as an onslaught of memories flashed through his mind.

But it was hard. Aomine was his first love. He never thought he could care for someone like he did him. He had been his everything for so long, the fire that he had always craved in his life. He inspired him to play basketball, pushed him more than anyone else in his life, and when he thought he would reject him, accepted him with that stupid laid-back attitude of his.

He remembered the day he decided to confess his feelings for the boy, and the month it took to build up the courage to actually do it. He thought he had zero chances, given Aomine’s love for large breasts and female idols. There was no way he would ever give Kise the time of day, not like that, not when basketball wasn’t involved.

So one day, after a rigorous game of one on one at their favorite court, with the adrenaline coursing through his body, as they sat side by side catching their breath, sweaty and with the familiar burn in their muscles that came with a hard-fought match, Kise just went out and said it.

It hadn’t been the most romantic way, not the way he had pictured in his mind since they had been in middle school, but is just felt _right_.

_“Aominecchi… I like you.”_

He had thought Aomine would have laughed it off, thought he was joking, but once again, he surprised him. He didn’t seem the least confused, or even surprised. He could have meant anything by that sentence, but for the first time, Aomine understood something without having him explain exactly what he meant. And when he asked him for how long, Kise answered him in a whisper.

Aomine had just sat there, a contemplative look on his face as he stared up at the sky, completely oblivious to the boy beside him whose heart felt like it would pop right out of his chest.

Kise remembered how blank his mind had gone, or maybe a million thoughts had gone through his head at that moment and he was too overwhelmed to remember what they were, all the while it felt as if time had stopped.

Until the boy beside him said the last thing he expected.

_“Alright… let’s give it a try.”_

And with those words, it was as if Kise was brought to life, and the imaginary water he thought he had been drowning in was air once more as he gasped in a breath and tears ran down his cheeks. And through his blurred vision, he saw Aomine move from his place beside him to crouch in front of him.

_“Idiot… why are you crying?”_

And that unfamiliar tinge of warmth in Aomine’s usually gruff voice was enough for more tears to run down his cheek, only this time, Kise couldn’t help but laugh through it.

_“You’re the idiot Aominecchi… I’m just… so happy...”_

And then Aomine’s thumb was wiping away the tears on one of his cheeks, and Kise thought his heart might have stopped. Aomine had made his heart skip a beat plenty of times… but not quite like this.

_“Really? Because I’m fucking terrified.”_

And that was such an Aomine thing to say, but it was the best thing he could have said.

Kise sighed as the train came to a stop, glad that the arrival of the train at his stop momentarily distracted him from the bittersweet memories that had plagued him since Aomine broke up with him half a year ago. With a bitter smile, he realized that at least the pain had numbed with time. Still, there was only so much he could take with a brave face when it came to the two hanging out together.

As Kise exited the train and walked in the direction of his apartment, he looked up at the dark night sky and sighed deeply, and hoped that tonight would be a day he could reach home without being stopped for an autograph or two. Walking helped clear his mind, helped him relax, and he was in no mood to put on a fake smile for anyone.

Not tonight.

Days like today reaffirmed the doubt he had when it came to his relationship with Aomine, reaffirmed his belief that he was never good enough. Not good enough to defeat him in basketball, and not good enough to hold his affection. Not only was he beneath him on the court, but it seemed even a regular girl could catch Aomine’s attention better than he was able to hold it.

He had always wondered how long it would be before Aomine left him behind, how long before he decided breasts and the warmth of a woman was better than what Kise could offer him as a man. He always wondered whether Aomine truly loved him or whether he had just been a way to experiment what he liked.

Kise dug his hands into his pockets, and ducked his head, resisting once more the urge to clench his teeth at the thought that the year that they had dated had all been a ruse. He didn’t want to believe that all those warm touches, those heated looks, those nights spent tangled in each other’s arms had been fake on Aomine’s part.

How could Aomine of all people be able to lie about his wants and feelings? He was a man ruled by instinct and never one to hide exactly what he wanted.

And yet that was exactly why Kise couldn’t bring himself to demand an explanation when Aomine told him they should end things between them. He didn’t want to know, didn’t want to hear the words that he wasn’t good enough come out of his lips, didn’t want to be have those words replay in his mind over and over again in the days to come.

It was better to accept the fact and move on.

And as his hands wrapped around the deck of cards in his pockets, Kise knew that was exactly what he was doing.

He was going to prove that he wasn’t ordinary, he would prove that he had what it took to be good enough. Good enough to be a model for Kaiba Corp, and good enough to defeat Seto Kaiba himself.

Even if it all came crashing down and he failed, he had to try.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So when I first got the idea of this fic, one of the things I said to myself was "Wow, it's going to be so weird not writing Aokise." 
> 
> I truly had no intention of making them a couple... and then I wrote this chapter and like... it just happened automatically?? They are so easy to write I just could... not? Plus it fit well into the overall plot so I decided to go with it. *Cough*Cliche jealousy trope much*cough*. Plus I truly love Aokise sooo.
> 
> Anyway... I'm so happy to see that people are enjoying this fic! And I hope you enjoy this chapter and the ones to come :)


	9. Brothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mokuba and Kaiba take a trip to one of their vacation homes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I ended up outlining the rest of the fic. There will be about 40 chapters give or take any changes or overly lengthy chapters I might break up and possibly an epilogue. And currently I'm on chapter 31. So I will probably be updating pretty frequently since I'm not too worried about a hiatus or writer's block. I'm super excited about you guys seeing the direction I took this fic in. There are a few surprises in the future...

Mokuba had insisted that they fly out the next day to one of his favorite places on earth to make the best of their week together since Seto had insisted of taking a vacation. After all, what good was a vacation if you just stayed in town the entire time?

Granada, Nicaragua was home to one of their handful of international vacation homes. They used that term loosely because it was really only Mokuba that ever used it as a vacation home while to Seto it was just another piece of real estate to dispose of once it was no longer profitable.

Still, out of the few properties that they privately owned, this was by far Mokuba’s favorite. He had made many memories here, and usually served as host of many spring breaks during his time in college. He felt comfortable and at home here, having become attached to not just the home, but the surrounding area and culture. This was where he first learned to be comfortable with the Spanish language, and met a few flames among the native women who helped him practice and taught him their customs and history.

This last minute trip would be the first time Kaiba had actually set foot in the home, since he had hardly cared for the actual place aside from the fact that the area could double in worth in just a few years from when he first purchased it. That had been some time ago, and indeed his initial estimate had been correct.

In fact, he should have probably sold the place a year ago, and he would have were it not for the fact that he knew Mokuba was quite fond of the place. Really, his coddling of his brother was Kaiba’s kryptonite, and the businessman in him knew that it was a bad investment to hold onto a property for too long, especially after it had already paid its worth.

While KaibaCorp certainly brought in the majority of his fortune, Kaiba knew the importance of claiming assets outside of the company. Being a businessman meant being prepared for the worst, and the worst case scenario truly would be the loss of his company. For that reason, it was imperative that he also invest in outside sources.

Still, as he stepped out of the car that delivered them to their destination, he could understand why Mokuba liked this place. The breeze against his skin was cool, neither humid nor dry. There was no need for a coat, and only a thin button up and pants were deemed necessary for the tepid climate during this time of year.

The home itself was also pleasing to the eye. It seemed he had done well to hire who he did to make it look like a modern vacation home, although this he knew from photos and Mokuba's personal accounts. Still, seeing the home in person reaffirmed his choices.

He would describe the home as medium sized as far as mansions went, but easily larger than the nearest homes in the area. It was sleek and angular, with plenty of large windows to add natural lighting inside. The warm tones of brown that painted the outside walls were complemented by the neatly maintained trees and plant life that made the home feel like a luxury getaway resort.

Just what Kaiba had envisioned.

“Welcome to our not so humble abode, Seto!”

Kaiba couldn’t help but grin back at his brother, knowing the truth of his words. After all, Kaiba was not known to be humble. Walking further into the home, Kaiba followed the slightly shorter young man as he led the way into the home. Despite the short notice, the home had been prepared for their arrival by the local caretakers, and Kaiba felt as if he was walking into a newly furnished home.

There was no dust or grime that he could see as they walked into the home, the white walls pristine and bright against the natural light that lit up the room from the large windows. It was sparingly furnished, with only the essentials, but the minimalistic look added to the modern atmosphere of the place. The only colors that popped out were from the rugs and paintings that adorned what would otherwise be empty spaces. Really, this is how Kaiba preferred it.

“Your stuff should be in the master bedroom, which is just up the stairs and to the right. Personally, I’m dying to go for a swim in the pool. Join me Seto!”

It was well into the afternoon, and despite the early hour that they left and the state-of-the-art technology of their private jet, it had still taken almost 8 hours to reach their vacation home.

“Don’t you want to eat first? You hardly ate on the way here.”

Kaiba watched in amusement as Mokuba stopped and scrunched his nose as if to seriously consider it, his eyes darting in the direction he guessed the pool to be in what he could only describe as a longing gaze.

“Mmm… I guess you’re right. I’m kind of hungry now that you mention it. Oh! There's a really good restaurant you’ll like right by the lake. The one I told you about, _La Brisa Azul_.”

Kaiba nodded his consent, remembering how highly his brother had praised the restaurant from the times he had visited.

“Sure. Should we call ahead?” He asked.

Mokuba shook his head with a grin.

“Nah. Idania knows we're here.”

Kaiba resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

“Why am I not surprised?”

Mokuba laughed before moving towards the stairs that would take him to his own room during their brief time there, probably to make himself a little more presentable for _Idania_.

It had come of a surprise to Kaiba that his little brother had turned out to be a mini playboy heartbreaker. Still, Mokuba was as kindhearted as he always had been, and he fell just as hard as the women did for him. It was only that his hectic schedule and traveling didn’t allow for him to really maintain a long-term relationship. And after a couple difficult breakups, the young boy had decided it was better to stick to brief flings with no strings attached, at least until his grueling school schedule was done.

If he remembered correctly, Idania was one of the girls that Mokuba spent his time with while he was here, not to mention one of the daughters of the restaurant owner who was hoping she would win over the handsome and rich young man.

Kaiba soon followed in his brother’s direction, climbing up the stairs and turning right as he had been directed, and had no trouble finding the double doors that led to the master suite of the home.

His two suitcases lay beside the bed, and Kaiba set out to put his clothes away in the large closet meant to fit more than what he had brought. They would only be staying for three days after all, and all he needed was a couple outfits and his work laptop.

Unfortunately, despite taking vacation time, he wasn’t comfortable completely leaving his work behind. He had informed his staff he would still reply to priority emails, but knowing him, he would have a hard time staying away from his work when Mokuba wasn’t with him. And he expected Mokuba to spend a decent portion with his local friends.

After hanging his two short sleeved button ups and one blazer, and folding the two pairs of thin slacks, Kaiba walked back to the bed where a blue button up shirt and pair of white straight-leg trousers were laid out on the bed. Just below it on the carpeted white floor were his favorite pair of brown saddle pebble loafers.

After being in a jet for 8 hours, it felt only right to change into a fresh attire for the remainder of the night. Knowing his little brother and how much he loved to entertain company and catch up with the local people he had grown fond of, he doubted dinner at the restaurant would be the end of their night.

In less than ten minutes, Kaiba was dressed in the new attire, and rolled up the sleeves of the button up to his elbows before grabbing and putting on the titanium smartwatch he had momentarily placed on the bed. This was one of the many technology-centered brands that used KaibaCorp technology, and one of the reasons why Kaiba wasn’t too concerned with the fall in popularity of his gaming technology. Slowly but surely, KaibaCorp was expanding into other industries, ones that were not centered on warfare and proved to be just as in need of their high-tech advances.

“Seto?”

Kaiba was just adjusting the strap of the watch on his wrist when Mokuba opened the door and slipped just inside the room.

“Car’s ready outside.”

His little brother had certainly made himself presentable. He too wore a button-down, only it was a short sleeved maroon with black slim fit pants rolled up at the ankles and dark brown oxfords.

He certainly was dressed to impress, and Kaiba wasn’t sure he would ever truly get used to seeing his little brother so grown up.

With the barest of nods, Kaiba followed his brother out the doors.

* * *

“Ah, is this the _hermano_ you’ve told us about, Señor Mokuba?”

A man in what Kaiba guessed was in his late fifties and a head shorter than him looked him up and down with a large grin on his face, a heavy Spanish accent on an otherwise well-spoken English that both could speak and understand. Like the rest of the customer’s in the restaurant, he was dressed casually, with a plain tan t-shirt, jean shorts, and brown sandals.

“_Si, mi hermano mayor por fin decidio venir conmigo_.”

Yes, my older brother finally decided to come with me, Kaiba translated in his head.

While Kaiba didn’t have the same practice of his brother, Spanish was one of the languages their stepfather had made sure to teach both brothers, and while Kaiba was fairly good at it, it wasn’t his most fluent.

“Seto, this is Osmin, the owner of the restaurant.”

“_Mucho gusto_,” Kaiba said, extending his hand that was given a firm squeeze by the older man, giving the universal polite greeting.

“_El placer es mío_, Señor Kaiba.”

“Come, come, let me take you to your table,” Osmin said as he ushered them deeper into the restaurant and out towards what they saw was an outdoor patio with a wooden ceiling that had a beautiful view of Lake Granada, but protected from mosquitos by the barely visible mesh that still allowed the cool breeze to seep through.

It was obvious that both brothers stood out like sore thumbs by the way people turned to look at them as they passed, but since both brothers were accustomed to often being the center of attention, they paid the looks and whispers no mind as they took their seats on the table.

The restaurant was… quaint, to put it lightly. To the young CEO that was Seto Kaiba, who was used to mostly high-end establishments, the local restaurant would not be a place Kaiba would have voluntarily visited on his own. The tables looked to be made out of wood, chipped and scratched in places from years of wear and tear, and uncovered by any cloth or plastic of any kind, and the only things adorning the top of the table were napkins and what looked to be condiments like salt, pepper, and various bottles of hot sauce.

The table was for two, and both Kaiba and Mokuba settled in across from each other. Those who still looked the two brothers over would see that the younger of the two looked quite relaxed and comfortable, and easy smile on his face as he looked around the restaurant and caught some people’s eyes and nodded in acknowledgement. It was no surprise since the young man was a familiar face around the small town despite the handful of times that he had visited. After all, it was easy to remember a foreign face that stayed in the biggest house on the beach.

Some of the locals might have even approached to greet the young man, were it not for the man seated across from him. Kaiba was the opposite of his brother, sitting so rigid it would have been easy to mistake him for a statue, he kept his eyes ahead, to the view of the outside and the lake beyond, and what looked like a permanent scowl and the slightest look of disgust on his face that made him practically unapproachable.

Still, no one would have denied that another reason for that unapproachable aura was because the man exuded an air of intimidation some might feel by an overly muscular man or someone holding a gun, although the man sitting was clearly neither of the two. It was also obvious to anyone that this was clearly the young man’s older brother, and if the rumors were true, the actual owner of the large house the young brother stayed in when he visited. Which meant, the very man known to be one of the richest men in his country, if not the world.

Yet despite being the center of attention in the quaint restaurant, Kaiba and Mokuba remained disinterested in the talk and whispers that surrounded their sudden visit.

“So Seto, how do you like it here so far? I know this place isn’t what you usually like, but trust me, their food is top of the line, better than some five-star restaurants we’ve been to.”

Mokuba met his brother’s stare, which as usual, were hard to read even for him.

“The climate is pleasant. It’s a nice change from the cooler weather back home. As for the rest, I’ll take your word for it.”

Kaiba replied with closed eyes and hands crossed in front of him. Mokuba grinned, typical of his brother to only answer what he knew to be a fact. Still, it was nice being able to drag his brother somewhere he normally wouldn’t go to. The more time passed, the more Mokuba could see just how mellow his brother was gradually becoming.

The expansion of KaibaCorp and its resources, a top of the decline in popularity in what was once his brother’s obsession that was Duel Monsters, and maturity that only age could bring was the reason Mokuba was able to sit comfortably across his older brother in a foreign country. On one hand, Mokuba could only describe this time as peaceful and calm. Their company was stable with few competitors of real threat left since most new gaming companies used their technology anyway, no ancient evils to fight, and steady growth with plenty of projects underway.

On the other hand, Mokuba couldn’t help but worry for his brother. His brother who was used to obstacles after obstacles and tackling said obstacles with a vengeance and fire only Seto Kaiba was capable of. Seto dedicated all his time to his projects, and while there was nothing wrong with wanting to keep making the next best technological advancement that would revolutionize the market, he also wanted his brother to experience what more life had to offer.

In his time away from home, Mokuba could honestly say he was having the best years of his life. Making friends, experiencing and exploring places all over the world, spending time with beautiful and intelligent women… Mokuba could honestly say he had it made. Although it hurt to say, he enjoyed not having the weight of the company on his shoulders. It was liberating, not to have to worry about letting his brother down or making a mistake that would cost their company and all the work it took to get it to where it was.

And while it made him admire his brother all the more, he also wanted his brother to experience the same happiness.

“Welcome back Mokuba!”

At the sound of a familiar English-spoken voice with a slight accent, Mokuba broke from his musings and looked up to the sight of a petite young woman with light brown curly long hair that reached her mid back and clipped on one side. She wore a plain black fitting t-shirt, jean capris that accentuated her narrow waist and shapely hips and legs, white tennis shoes, and a brown apron wrapped around her waist.

At the smile on her face, Mokuba’s eyes brightened as he smiled back.

“Idania!” he acknowledged, before quickly getting up and enveloping her in a hug.

The young waitress laughed as she eagerly returned the hug. Mokuba was almost a whole foot taller than the small girl, and the top of her head barely reached him at shoulder height, making it easy for Mokuba to rest his chin atop her head.

“I missed you!” she said against his chest, and Mokuba couldn’t help but wrap his arms tighter around her. While the warmth that filled his chest scared him, he also felt happy to be able to hold her after so long.

Although Mokuba wanted to hold her longer, he eased them apart, smiling brightly at her.

“I’ve missed you too, it’s been too long. Ah! Guess who I brought!”

Mokuba placed his hand behind her shoulder so that they both faced the still sitting Kaiba. As their attention turned to him however, Kaiba slowly stood up.

“Seto, this is Idania. Idania, this is Seto!”

The shorter girl looked up at the taller man with a hint of nervousness but smiled shyly and bowed slightly. Kaiba raised a surprised eyebrow at the greeting, his eyes momentarily flashing to Mokuba who was still grinning but now looked a little proud.

“Nice to meet you! Mokuba has told me a lot about you!”

_Looks like Mokuba hasn’t been the only one learning a different culture between the two_… he thought at the way the girl greeted him in the traditional Japanese fashion.

Respectfully, Kaiba too bowed.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Idania.”

As both stood straight once more, there was a sheepish grin and content look on the petite girl’s face.

“Please, sit! I’ll get you started with drinks and appetizers.”

Both men sat down, knowing that they were here to eat and talk would have to come later.

Idania took out two menus from the apron around her waist, but before she could set it down on the table, Mokuba raised a hand to stop her, and the girl paused as she looked at the young man with confusion in her eyes.

“Sorry,” he said briefly with a sheepish grin on his face, before turning to face Kaiba, “if you don’t mind Seto, I know exactly what to order for you. I had this dish on my first visit and I knew you absolutely would love it!”

With the barest of nods, Kaiba agreed to his brother’s suggestion, his face remaining in his usual neutral expression.

“Very well,” he voiced, almost as an afterthought.

Mokuba turned back to Idania, who returned the menus to her apron pockets.

“Two of my favorite, _Carne Pinchada de Venado, por favor_. And of course, two Macuá cocktails.”

Idania smiled and nodded.

“Coming right up!”

The young woman turned and left, leaving the brother’s alone once more.

Kaiba watched as his little brother never once removed his eyes from her as she walked away. He made a thoughtful noise, and smirked when even then Mokuba didn’t look back.

“Be careful little brother, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were falling for her.”

At the comment, Mokuba’s head swiveled back to look at his brother, a clear flush on his face and an otherwise unreadable expression that was cross between embarrassment and denial.

“W-what? No! I mean… ugh. I don’t know Seto… to be honest… I really like her. She’s different from other girls. She’s so smart, and sweet, and ambitious. She has huge plans for the future, and she works so hard to help her family. When we talk… I feel like I can talk to her forever. I’ve tried to stay detached but… I guess… for the first time in a long time… I don’t want to?”

Kaiba observed as his little brother’s previously tense body relaxed, how his hands began to fiddle with each, and how his voice gradually softened. It was almost as if he wasn’t really talking _to_ him, but rather to himself as his eyes now had a far-off glassy look to them. It was a look he couldn’t say he had ever seen on his brother.

“I like the way she makes me feel. And I like hearing about her life and all the little and big things she does. And I get jealous when I hear she goes on a date with someone else… and the more time I’m away from her the more I miss her… and damn… I guess I really am falling for her…”

Mokuba’s expression changed from realization to defeat, as if he had come to terms with something he had been trying to fight off, and Kaiba only rested his chin on his interlocked hands in front of him.

“Well, I’m glad you realize it. I’m not one for romance, and there’s no advice I can give you. Just… be careful. I’d rather not see a repeat of what happened last time…”

Mokuba didn’t need Kaiba to specify what the _last time_ meant. It had been when Mokuba first left Japan to begin his foreign studies, and he had fallen for the first girl he made a connection with. It happened so suddenly and fast that Mokuba hadn’t really been prepared for it. But the relationship quickly deteriorated when it became clear she didn’t like his hectic schedule and constantly gave him ultimatums. It had been a very rocky and almost toxic relationship.

Yet surprisingly, and maybe not so, it had been Seto that convinced him to end it. In his blunt and brutally honest way, Kaiba had managed to snap him out of his guilt and depression over the failing relationship from back then. He made him open his eyes to the reality of the situation and not the fantasy romance Mokuba was trying so hard to save. It was his first heartbreak, but Seto had been there for him every step of the way to help get him through it.

Despite having a whole company to run, and the distance between them.

“Hey Seto?”

Kaiba looked back at his brother, and Mokuba knew he had his attention.

“Do you ever resent me for going away to study abroad and leaving you alone to run the company?”

Mokuba resisted the urge to look away from his brother, a part of him didn’t want to see what kind of look could be on his face.

It was something they had never talked about, something Mokuba had purposely avoided. After all, he had never quite asked what his brother thought on the matter. He only made his intentions known, and acted on them. Seto never once tried to stop him, and Mokuba wanted to believe that his inaction was permission enough.

Kaiba however, remained impassive, with only the barest flash of emotion in his eyes as his frown deepened slightly.

“It was… sudden, certainly.”

Kaiba spoke, his gaze averting as it tended to do when they broached emotional and personal subjects.

“But I trust you to do what you think is best for you. I set out to reclaim the fortune we lost, and thanks to you, we did it. But I know it was never your goal. You would have been happy if we had simply gone to a decent family together. Still, you followed me in my plan with our Stepfather. After everything you endured, it’s only right that you have the freedom to do what _you_ want. And I see that you’re happy. That’s enough for me.”

Mokuba swallowed hard against the sudden lump in his throat and inhaled deeply to hold back what would otherwise be tears of relief and happiness. It would be unsightly to get emotional in such a public place.

Still… it was nice to finally hear confirmation of what he had only previously hoped was the case. Now he could rest a little bit easier when he was away. After all, if anyone could handle a multi-billion company single handedly… it was Seto.

“Hey Seto?”

Once more, Kaiba looked back at him, and Mokuba smiled.

“You’re the best big brother I could ever ask for.”

The warmth and sincerity in Mokuba’s voice was unmistakable, and despite the fact that his little brother had grown a few feet taller, and his voice had grown deeper, it was the same tone that had propelled Kaiba forward throughout the years, that had made him face his demons, and literally fight through hell to keep safe. The same voice that constantly let him know he wasn’t alone.

“Well… I could say the same about my little brother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a sucker for the Kaiba and Mokuba brotherly moments, so it seemed fitting to dedicate a whole chapter to them. I think Kaiba's saving grace is definitely Mokuba, and I wanted to show that in this chapter. 
> 
> I definitely think Mokuba would want to eventually do his own thing as he got older, and I think that would help both him and Kaiba grow in their own ways. So I really enjoyed writing this aspect of them. Growing up is a funny thing, huh?


	10. The Tour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mokuba takes Kise on a tour of KaibaCorp. And what else do they have up their sleeve?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finished another chapter... so another post is in order. Wow man I'm on fire with this fic right now.

When the promised Saturday came about, Kise woke in the early hours of the morning after a restless sleep. He had been too excited and nervous to sleep peacefully, having taken hours to finally fall asleep with the ocean of thoughts on what he knew the next day had in store for him.

Since Kanagawa was quite a journey from Domino City, Kise had kindly refused Mokuba’s offer of sending a driver to pick him up, choosing to take the bullet train instead. Still, it meant that he had to get up extra early to get ready and make it there by the chosen time. He wanted to make the most of the opportunity Mokuba had given him, which meant getting there as early as was possible.

And so, Kise had chosen to wear his favorite pair of charcoal pants, along with a white v-neck shirt under a black vest, and a gray blazer. It was one of his best outfits, and considering his plans for today, Kise wanted to dress to impress.

Kise smiled in the full length of his room, happy with his appearance and glad that being a model meant learning how to conceal the bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep all week. After ruffling his hair for what must have been the millionth time, Kise breathed in deep before looking at his watch and making his way to the door where his coat and scarf awaited him.

Kise checked to make sure he had everything he needed before leaving his apartment and locking the door behind him.

It was so early the sun wasn’t even out, making the outside air a little cooler, enough that Kise felt a light chill. It was spring after all, and not quite warm just yet. He wanted nothing more than to make it to the train as soon as possible, and began a light jog to keep warm and get to his destination faster.

And all Kise could think of on his way there was… _today is the day_.

* * *

Mokuba set down his utensils at the table, having just finished eating breakfast with his brother who sat across from him. Even at the table he had pulled out his laptop and was scrolling through whatever it was that was currently occupying his attention, idly drinking what Mokuba knew was black coffee from the plain mug beside him.

They had come back from their trip just a few days ago, and while it had been a wonderful experience, leaving had been the hard part. Already he found that he missed Idania even more than he had prior to visiting, and he knew that he would have to visit again sooner than he had planned.

He had tried to introduce Seto to a few people, but it hadn’t seemed like anyone had really caught his attention. He had even tried to introduce him to some men, to no avail. Mokuba sighed as he looked at his brother.

While Seto preferred to keep his love life private(if it could even be called such), there were a few times Mokuba was able to get his brother to spill who his conquests were, and while Seto had never been in a relationship before, there had been plenty of one night stands. After all, his brother was quite the eligible bachelor, and he never had a shortage of offers from those around them.

Mokuba remembered wondering if his brother was asexual from the lack of interest he showed in the opposite sex, and then he wondered if maybe it was men he liked. Not that Mokuba would have thought any different of his brother, but the curiosity made him finally ask him outright when he was sixteen and Seto had been twenty.

Seto had admitted to him that he didn’t have a preference, and he had been with both sexes throughout the years. To say that Mokuba was surprised was an understatement. Not so much that his brother had been with both sexes, but that he had been with anyone at all! He had done well to be stealthy about the fact since Mokuba never had a clue, and Mokuba was usually good at knowing when his brother was hiding something. But as it turned out, none of those flings had been more than just sex.

Sometimes he wondered if _anyone_ would ever grab his brother’s attention for longer than one night.

“Hey Seto, I’m gonna head out. You remember what we said right?”

Kaiba didn’t look up but nodded.

“Sure. I’ll be at KaibaCorp by five as promised.”

Mokuba nodded before standing and making his way out. Kise had texted him to tell him he would be reaching Domino soon, and he had told him he would be picking him up with their driver.

After having met him after Kaijo’s match against Touo, the two had texted briefly throughout the week to finalize their plans, and Mokuba was looking forward to what they had in store. Kise had proven to be just as charismatic and lively over text as he was in person, and Mokuba knew that Kise had the potential to go far in life. Already he liked the young prodigy and could see the two of them becoming good friends with time.

He was especially excited for the surprise planned later in the day, and he knew it would probably be the highlight of his stay after seeing Idania in Nicaragua and spending more time with his brother.

Mokuba found himself humming as he made his way into the car that awaited him outside, the sun shining brightly in the sky only lifting his mood even more.

Sliding into his seat in the back, Mokuba smiled at the driver.

“Where to Mister Mokuba?” the driver asked.

“Domino train station. Thanks, Tanaka.”

The middle-aged driver smiled and nodded, before driving towards the given destination. It was nice having the younger Kaiba brother around.

* * *

It was Kise’s first time in Domino, and he surely wasn’t disappointed. On his way into the city, he was able to see from the bullet train’s window just how large and beautiful the city was. Unlike many of the crowded cities in Japan, Domino seemed to have a lot of parks and the buildings weren’t built so closely together that it felt suffocating. He caught sight of plenty of Sakura trees blossoming, and overall the city gave off a vibe of being clean and modern, futuristic even.

Still, the train ride had been exhausting. It had been almost a three-hour ride and one train change to make it, but despite being a little stiff and groggy, the sight of the city coming into view was enough to make Kise giddy with excitement once more. He had kept Mokuba updated of his travel time and had just received the text that told him Mokuba and his driver were waiting for him.

Considering it was a Saturday morning, the train had been relatively quiet, with not too many riders, and as the mechanical voice announced their stop, Kise stood and made his way to the nearest door of the train, hopeful that it wouldn’t be too hard to find Mokuba in the unfamiliar station. He had said in his text that he would be waiting by the main entrance, and as Kise stepped down and looked around the arrival hub, he couldn’t help but marvel at how clean and futuristic it looked. He felt as if he was coming out of a plane rather than a train, and Kise made sure to follow the crowd as they made their way to what he knew was the main entrance and exit of the station.

Kise was right, and as he came to the main area, Kise was surprised to see how large the train station actually was. From where he had exited, he was on the second floor of the train station, and ahead of him were escalators that led down to a large area with multiple food places and even a few shops. It was almost like coming into a mini mall and food court, with a large open space with plenty of tables that people could sit at to eat and wait for their trains.

Kise was thoroughly impressed, and he was glad it was indeed a Saturday, because had it been on a workday, he was sure it would have been much harder to find Mokuba.

As it was, Mokuba was easy to spot from where he waited by a large column close to one of the many doors that led outside, and Kise waved when their gazes met as he took the escalator down. At the sight of him, Mokuba began to walk towards him so that they met halfway.

“Kise!” Mokuba greeted with a grin, “Glad you made it!”

Kise returned the smile.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world! This place is amazing, is all of Domino like this?” he asked.

Mokuba nodded.

“You could say so. This city strives to be state-of-the-art and is constantly trying to improve the infrastructure to stay up to date. There’s always new projects going around, which is why it’s a good city for us to have our headquarters in.”

“Wow that’s so cool! I can’t wait to see some more of the city then.”

“I’ll make sure to have our driver take us around then,” Mokuba offered, noting how bright Kise’s smile was at the prospect.

“Do you want to grab something to eat before we leave?” Mokuba asked, knowing how early Kise had left to make it.

Kise shook his head, his smile softening into a relaxed one instead.

“No, it’s okay, I grabbed something for the ride here, and ate it just before I got here.”

“Alright, then we’ll head out! I’m excited for you to see our headquarters, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.”

Kise chuckled.

“Considering it was a dream of mine to come here for your tournaments as a kid, I sincerely doubt I’ll be disappointed. I watched every tournament live when I could.”

The two made their way towards the car while making easy conversation, and in no time the two were seated in one of the many cars owed by Kaiba.

“By the way,” Kise started with a look of genuine curiosity, “Remember that time when there were Duel Monsters showing up all over the world?”

Mokuba visibly stiffened at the comment.

“How _did_ you guys do that? I remember seeing some dragons in the sky, and from the town I’m from, I don’t think anyone had any kind of duel disk technology. Did you guys do it with a satellite or something? I’ve always wanted to know.”

Kise noted that Mokuba looked a little uncomfortable at the question, a sheepish grin on his face.

“Well um… it’s hard to explain. It’s kind of a long and complicated story, and honestly, I doubt you’d believe me if I told you.”

Kise was confused by the response. He vaguely remembered watching the news while that had happened and remembered Kaiba giving a statement that his technology was not responsible for the appearances of the Duel Monsters. If that was really the case, what had made them appear? A rivaling company trying to replicate the technology? But once the appearances stopped, no answers or new company came forward take responsibility.

“Try me,” Kise replied, leaning forward with a look of undivided attention.

Mokuba couldn’t help but laugh, thinking Kise looked like an excited puppy.

“Alright, you asked for it.”

Kise’s grin widened, and he completely forgot about taking in the city as he looked at Mokuba to speak.

“So, during that time there was a guy named Dartz, an ancient evil sorcerer sealed away in what is believed to be the lost city of Atlantis. Long story short, Duel Monsters are actually based on an ancient magic practiced in Egyptian times, and the man named Dartz wanted to use the power of the three Egyptian God cards to revive a creature known as the Great Leviathan. In the process, he opened a portal that let Duel Monsters enter our world, and my brother, along with some other duelists, had to fight through his henchmen and collect three ancient dragons to defeat him and prevent the Great Leviathan from being summoned and consuming every person on earth’s soul.”

As Mokuba ended his tale, Kise blinked at the slightly older man for what felt like an eternity, before sighing and leaning back against his seat, arms crossed and eyes closed with a pout on his face.

“Geez Mokubacchi… you could have just said you can’t tell me for legal purposes. But you should definitely think about making that a movie. I bet it’d be a hit, and it looks like you’ve put some thought into it!”

Mokuba laughed.

“I told you that you wouldn’t believe me.”

As both men turned their attention to the city around them, Kise admired the increasingly tall and shiny buildings around him, Mokuba pointing out to him what some of the especially remarkable buildings were and what they did.

This went on for about twenty minutes, before they finally made their way to their actual destination, and Kise watched in awe as they drove straight for what seemed like the tallest tower in the entire city.

It seemed he was proven correct when the car drove them to the entrance of said building, and Mokuba grinned.

“Here we are, welcome to KaibaCorp headquarters.”

As they stepped out of the car, Kise couldn’t help but stare in awe at the sheer size of the building, and how it made every other skyscraper in the city dwarf in comparison. The sun shining against its almost chromatic walls and what looked to be an infinite amount of windows making the building practically glow.

“You’re kidding me...”

Mokuba stood straight, hands in his pockets and a proud look on his face as he too looked up at the building.

“This is all thanks to my brother. When we first took over the company, it wasn’t even one tenth of what it is now. My brother had this entire building built from the ground up to commemorate our growth and success.”

Kise could only continue to blink as he looked up at the building.

“I’m almost afraid to think this is the size of his ego…”

At the comment, Mokuba laughed.

“You probably wouldn’t be wrong. Seto isn’t known to be humble, just the opposite. He likes to make sure no one forgets how powerful he is in the corporate world.”

Kise let out a nervous laugh.

“Well, with an HQ like this, how could anyone forget?”

Mokuba grinned.

“That’s kind of the point. See, my brother and I are actually adopted. We were born to wealthy parents, but they died in an accident, and instead of taking us in, our living relatives stole our family’s wealth and disowned us so we were left orphaned. My brother was never able to forgive them for that, and made it his goal to reclaim what he thought was our right, so he made sure we were adopted by the original CEO of KaibaCorp. Our step-father wasn’t the greatest father, far from it actually, but Seto made sure to work hard so he could take over the company, and rather than continue to be a company that produced weapons of war, he turned it into a gaming company instead, and grew it into what it is today. This building is to let everyone know that he worked hard to get to where we are, and to remind other competitors who exactly they’re dealing with.”

Mokuba wasn’t sure why he was compelled to share such a private part of their history, but he could see that Kise really admired his brother, and he hated to think that he would think less of him because of the more prideful part of Seto. After all, few people really knew what they went through as children, and all that they had faced to make their dreams a reality. It was their past that had hardened his brother, which made him distrustful of those around them. Seto hid behind his pride and money, to make sure no one stole from them again like their family had in the past.

Kise blinked at Mokuba, drawn in and grounded once more by the weight of his story.

“Wow… I never would have guessed…” he mumbled.

Mokuba smiled.

“It’s okay. Just don’t tell Seto I told you, and don’t tell anyone else. He’s a private person and doesn’t like our history being public knowledge.”

Kise smiled and nodded.

“I promise, your story is safe with me! Thank you for confiding in me Mokubacchi!”

Mokuba nodded, and made a motion for them to walk.

“Well, let’s get to what we came here for!”

* * *

It turned out that the inside of the tall skyscraper was just as impressive as the outside, if not more. Kise felt as if he had just stepped a hundred years into the future from the pristine walls, sleek furnishings, high ceilings, and high-tech plasma screens that played all sorts of updates and stories from around the world. There was even a holographic projection of a Blue Eyes White Dragon in the main reception that looked practically real, and if Kise didn’t know any better, would have certainly thought it was.

“Mokubacchi…” Kise mumbled as he took in his surroundings with unhidden awe, “Am I dreaming?”

Mokuba chuckled, and patted Kise sympathetically in the back. But what could he say? KaibaCorp certainly never disappointed.

“C’mon, you haven’t even seen the best parts yet! It’s pretty empty now, only a few people come in during the weekend. It’s completely voluntary for our employees to come in during the weekend, but it’s always open in case someone wants to work on a project and work ahead. We don’t even mind paying overtime if employees do that, as long as we see that they’re being productive and show results.”

Kise nodded, appreciating that it looked like KaibaCorp made sure to take care of its employees. He had done some research and seen that KaibaCorp had one of the highest employee satisfaction scores in the country, from pay, to benefits, and vacation time. While stress levels looked to be on the higher end, it was almost expected from the high expectations that Kaiba was known to have for the quality of his products.

“Actually, this weekend there’s more people working than usual, since Seto is launching a big campaign in the next few months, so some people are really putting in their best effort.”

Kise grinned, choosing to keep the fact that he was quite aware of their campaign a secret. He wanted to surprise the duo with not just his basketball skills, but his modeling career too. Not that Kise liked to brag, but he knew that he had quite the resume built up.

As the two walked around the building and went several floors up, they stopped in several departments, where some of the employees working shared their part of the projects they were currently working on.

Kise couldn’t say he was a genius by any means when it came to textbook material, so the coding aspects of their jobs kind of went over his head as most math classes tended to do in high school. After all, he considered himself more of a hands-on person, the reason he was so good at anything physical like sports and activities. Aside from his talent in sports and his good looks, it was hard for Kise to think of something he would be good at in the adult world.

Sometimes he considered just expanding into the acting world. As long as he could get his foot in, it seemed like a more reliable and long-term career, not to mention a better paying one if he managed to become an A-list actor. Not to mention, it seemed fun, there would be the opportunity to travel, and he wouldn’t be stuck behind a desk all day.

He did like the graphic design portion of game designing, and the process of looking at a card and being able to render the two-dimensional image into a three-dimensional projection. The employee also explained to him the creative ways that they came up with to produce the sound effects of each monster and their special attacks to make the game as realistic as possible. He said some employees even made the sounds themselves and modified them using sound manipulation. It was the one thing so far that Kise could see himself having fun with.

Half-way into the tour, Kise felt as if he had seen only a portion of everything they did at KaibaCorp, and while he personally knew of them for their Duel Monsters technology, the company was actually involved in a lot more fields than he would have thought. It looked like they were partners with multiple gaming systems, and were pioneering technology for systems Kise had only ever seen in the world of science fiction.

“Alright Kise, so you’ve seen most of what our employees do in general. Now it’s time to see what you’ve been waiting for.”

Kise instantly brightened, knowing exactly what it was that Mokuba was referring to, and made a sound of excitement that resembled a mix between a squeak and a yelp.

“You mean it?”

“Yep! We are going to see the latest in Duel Monster holographic technology!”

As Mokuba led the way, Kise practically skipped after him.

Mokuba led them to an elevator, which was fully surrounded by reinforced and bulletproof glass as Mokuba had explained to him, so that they were able to see the rest of Domino on their way up. It seemed like their destination was many floors up, to the point that Kise was able to see over every other building in Domino, and it felt as if the trip took a few minutes before it came to a stop on the 30th floor.

Kise expected the door to open up to a hallway, and was more than surprised to find that Mokuba needed to flash a special badge against a scanner for the door to open, and when it did, it opened up to an incredibly large room with what looked to be nothing in it other than a few panels and lights around the wall.

Kise was confused not to see one of the large dueling machines he remembered seeing in the old tournaments.

“So, where is it?” Kise asked, looking around as if he might have missed a one-ton machine in such a large room.

Mokuba chuckled.

“This is it. We don’t use the old dueling machines you’re probably thinking about. The only thing needed with the proper equipment now is our newest duel disk, which, when your cards have been digitized, you don’t even need a physical deck anymore.”

Kise blinked in surprise. To think, that you’d be able to digitize your cards. Still, a part of him thought he liked having the physical cards, it felt more real and as if there was a better connection. Not to mention that although he loved technology, he could see how a competent hacker could take advantage and cheat with the system.

Mokuba walked to one of the panels within the room, pressing a button that made a holographic projection appear in front of him, where Mokuba pressed a series of commands.

“Welcome, Mister Mokuba,” a mechanical voice spoke up that echoed throughout the large room, making Kise jump a little from the unexpected sound of it. Unlike most AI voices he had heard, this one sounded almost as if it belonged to a real person.

“Kisara, allow access to Duel Disk Alpha 2.”

“Voice command acknowledged. Allowing access to Duel Disk Alpha 2.”

There was a hissing sound from the middle of the room, and Kise looked up to see the floor open up and a table rise up, with what looked to be a blue and sleek mechanical device about the size of Kise’s forearm.

Mokuba walked up to the risen platform, and grabbed the device from it, before turning to look at Kise who had quietly walked up behind him, his eyes never once leaving the pristine device that Mokuba was holding.

“So Kise, do you want to test it out now, or do you prefer to wait until the main event?”

Mokuba watched as Kise’s expression changed from one of awe to one of mischief. A sly grin spread across his lips and a focused look came to his eyes.

“I think I’ll wait. After all, I’d rather get the full experience at one time.”

* * *

Kaiba didn’t know what his little brother had in store for him, but he had promised to be at KaibaCorp at five and the young CEO was nothing if not punctual, at least, when it came to his little brother’s requests.

It was odd for his brother to be cryptic, and while he knew he didn’t like surprises, Kaiba could see that his brother really meant to keep the plans for the day a secret. Were it anyone else, Kaiba would be apprehensive. But it was Mokuba, the one person he trusted.

Which was why, at exactly 4:55PM, Kaiba stepped out of his car and looked up at the main entrance of KaibaCorp Tower, before looking at his phone where his brother had just texted him to come up to the 30th floor, which Kaiba knew was none other than one of their dueling rooms.

He wondered if maybe Mokuba had added a new feature to the new system without telling him, or if perhaps he wanted to surprise him with a duel. While Mokuba did not share the same love for dueling as he did, it would explain why Mokuba seemed eager to keep it a secret, and it would indeed be a pleasant surprise if his brother had gone out of his way to put a strategy together.

Many other scenarios went through Kaiba’s mind as he made his way to the elevator that would take him to his brother’s meeting place, but Kaiba was quick to dismiss this. No matter what it was, it would only be a moment before he found out.

With that thought in mind, he walked through the unusual quietness of KaibaCorp Tower during a weekend evening. Most employees that had chosen to work should have left by now, but he wouldn’t be surprised to run into a few that had chosen to stay. After all, his vacation would be officially over when he returned to work on Monday, and he expected good progress from his employees while he had been gone. Otherwise, demotions and new employees would be in order.

He spared the familiar surrounding only a brief glace, to see if there was anything out of place, but seeing everything in order, went ahead to the elevator, stepping inside and pressing the button to the 30th floor of his tower.

As the elevator rose, Kaiba watched the outside world through the transparent walls, where he could see the sun was beginning its descent towards the horizon, but he didn't have long to take in the sight as the elevator slowed to a stop, and a soft ding let him know he had arrived at his floor.

Turning around, and flashing his wrist badge, the door opened, and the first figure he saw was not who he expected.

While the blonde hair and boyish face was familiar, it was the last person he had expected to meet in his tower. His eyes narrowed, and he looked around to see that indeed Mokuba was in the room, but rather than in the center of the room where the unexpected guest was, Mokuba stood near one of the walls, as if considerate of giving the other occupants of the room some space.

“What is the meaning of this?” Kaiba voiced, not bothering with formalities.

The young man in front of him only smirked and crossed his arms in front of him.

It was then that Kaiba noticed just what the young man had attached to his arm, and his eyes narrowed further.

“Seto Kaiba! I, Kise Ryota, challenge you to a duel!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Now that all relationships have been established, things finally pick up! Guys I can't stress enough how proud I am of the next chapter I have in store. But boy... can I just say creating a duel is not easy! I had to put together both Kise's and Kaiba's decks and thank goodness I played duel links and have google at my disposal because otherwise I wouldn't have been able to bring to life a duel I could be proud of. 
> 
> There's still another duel in a future chapter I have to put together and I pretty much skipped over it to come back to later because I just did not wanna go through it again but I know now I'll have to! So that chapter will probably be one of the first chapter I take long to upload. But that's Chapter 20 so it won't be for some time yet hehe. 
> 
> Again, thanks to those who have shown their interest in the story and I hope you continue to enjoy what I have in store :)


	11. Duel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaiba and Kise duel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I only took one liberty with what a card actually does(as if the actual anime never took liberties to make combos that shouldn't have been possible). Only true duelists will catch it. Also I couldn't wait to post this so here it is.

To say that he was surprised would have been an understatement. The thought that the basketball prodigy he had just learned of just this week would be waiting for him in his very own tower, challenging him to a duel of all things, hadn’t even occurred to him.

Still, Kaiba was quick to get over the surprise, his own arms crossing as he disregarded the young man in favor of sending his brother a sharp glance.

“Mokuba, what is this kid doing here?”

Kise visibly bristled at how quick the young CEO was to dismiss him, and how blatantly he ignored his challenge.

“Who are you calling a kid!” Kise replied, a small frown and pout on his face.

Kaiba once more ignored him, his gaze still focused on his little brother. Mokuba, used to his brother’s antics, only grinned as he leaned back against the wall behind him casually.

“Exactly what he said. Kise wants to duel you. I thought you wouldn’t mind a new challenger.”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at his little brother, before turning back to look at the person in front of him visibly glaring at him. Kaiba looked at him long and hard, taking notice of the boy out of his basketball uniform. The kid had a taste in fashion, Kaiba would give him that, and looked as if he had just walked out of a catalog. As his eyes raked up his form, Kaiba took note of his tense posture and furrowed brows, and the way his golden eyes seemed to darken as their gaze met.

Kaiba smirked.

“And what makes you think you can take me on, pretty boy? Looks to me like you’re on the wrong court.”

Rather than let Kaiba’s haughty response rile him up, Kise forced himself to relax, his lips forming a confident grin.

“Well _Kaibacchi_, I’ll have you know that before I joined sports, I was actually my town’s local Duel Monsters Champion!”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes.

“_What_ did you just call me?”

Kise laughed, despite the dark look on Kaiba’s face and the way he ignored the point of his sentence.

“You should be flattered, I only add –_cchi_ to the names of the people I respect! And it’s hard to find people outside of a basketball court I can call that way.”

Kise’s eyes then lit up again.

“But…” he said in a sing-song manner, “If you hate it _that_ much… I’ll stop calling you that if you beat me in a duel, _Kai-ba-cchi_.”

Kaiba glared as Kise stressed each syllable of his newfound nickname, before grinning once more. This kid had guts, he'd give him that. To have the audacity to come to his tower, give him a ridiculous nickname, and challenge him to a duel. He’d have to teach him his place.

“Well, if you’re so desperate to lose, and just to shut you up, I guess I’ll go ahead and beat you. After all, it would be a shame if my little brother went through the trouble of getting you here for nothing.”

Kise’s face visibly brightened, and Mokuba couldn’t help but chuckle to himself at how Kise wore his emotions on his sleeve. Still, he got his brother to agree, which was no easy feat. He had tried to tell Kise not to get his hopes up, but Kise had managed to use his use of nicknames to lure Kaiba in. It was a start. He actually wasn’t sure how good Kise was, but if he was even a fraction as good as he was at basketball, he should do well. And he doubted Kise would challenge Kaiba if he didn’t think he at least stood a chance. Like Kaiba, Kise was a competitor.

“Kisara! Ready my duel disk and prepare the field!”

Some lights around the room began to flash, and Kise looked around as the room began to glow from the lights that now illuminated it.

“Command acknowledged, preparing duel arena.”

Just like Mokuba had brought up the duel disk on Kise’s arm, the same platform rose up, and Kaiba calmly made his way towards it, grabbing the exact same duel disk that Kise currently wore. In one fluid motion, he had attached the device on his arm and the adjoining part to his forehead that now glowed blue, before walking to one end of the room.

Kise smiled, before walking to the side opposite of Kaiba. Thankfully, Mokuba showed him how the duel disk worked without having his deck digitized like he knew Kaiba’s was.

“Mokuba, do me a favor and shuffle his deck will you.”

Mokuba did as told and Kise handed over his deck when Mokuba approached him, who gave it right back as soon as it was shuffled.

“Good luck, Kise.”

Kise grinned.

“Thanks Mokubacchi, I know it won’t be easy.”

Mokuba nodded, before returning to the side of the room between the two players.

“Good luck Seto!” he also called out.

“Hmph. I won’t need luck to wipe the floor with this kid.”

Kise only stuck out his tongue at the older man, if only to hide that his heart was pounding in his chest and his fingers shaking from how nervous and excited he was.

“I’ll have you eat those words Kaibacchi!” Kise called back as he inserted his deck into the duel disk, and the sound of its activation caught his ears as the disk began to glow in response.

Kise watched in awe as the plain room around them visibly morphed, changing into what looked to be a virtual arena that looked to be straight out of a sci-fi video, where Kise and Kaiba now stood atop a purple-ish holographic free-flying platform with nothing but a black abyss below them, giving Kise a moment of vertigo at how realistic it looked and felt, while the rest of the room transformed into what looked to be stands and holographic people cheering them on.

Kise laughed.

“Wow, this looks so cool!”

Kise could hardly believe this was happening, but he planned to make the best of it. He had spent the past week going over every possible strategy he could think of, and he wouldn’t let his hard work go to waste.

Kise then watched as a holographic coin materialized between him and Kaiba.

“Commencing coin toss, players, call your bets,” the mechanical voice from the AI said.

“Your call, kid!” Kaiba said, his face impassive as his arms remained crossed.

Kise grinned.

“Fine! I call heads!”

Moments later, the holographic coin spun, and as Kise hoped, landed on heads.

“Awesome! Allow me to go first, Kaibacchi.”

Kaiba huffed, but uncrossed his arms.

“Makes no difference to me, kid!”

Why did Kise get the sense that despite their encounter after his basketball game, Kaiba wasn’t going to call him by his name?

Kise stood straighter, and despite the distance between them, their eyes met, both knowing what came next.

“Let’s duel!” both said simultaneously, and while Kaiba’s cards appeared holographically, Kise manually drew his cards. Their life points showed up next to them, and as asked, Mokuba had set it up to the classic 4000 LP, and Kaiba made no comment on it.

As Kise looked at his card, he smirked.

“Well Kaibacchi, looks like this might be a record defeat for you!”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at the younger man in across him. He didn’t know what to expect from him, and while he said he had been a local champion, Kaiba didn’t think he could be that good if he had never made an appearance at a large-scale tournament. Then again, Kise was still young, younger than even Mokuba, who had still been a kid himself during the height of Duel Monsters, maybe he had been too young still to make an appearance.

“Don’t get cocky kid, the match hasn’t even begun!”

Kise grinned, his finger grabbing a hold of one card and placing it face down in defense mode in the slot for monsters, before grabbing another card and placing it on the slot for magic and trap cards.

“I set two cards face down, and end my turn!”

“Ha! That’s it? I expected more after such a daring proclamation. Now it’s my turn!”

Kaiba grinned, before tapping on one of the cards on display.

“Say hello to my Kaiser Sea Horse!”

Kise could hardly contain his amazement as the card materialized right across from him, looking realer than he ever thought possible. The colors were vivid and bright, and the movements so fluid he could hardly believe the monster in front of him was a hologram.

“Your technology really is amazing, Kaibacchi! I’m glad I’m getting a front row seat for this!”

Kaiba frowned, thinking Kise a little too happy for someone whose monster was just about to be destroyed.

“I set two more cards face down!” he said, and tapped on the card onto the magic and trap zone. 

“Now, Kaiser, attack his face down monster!”

Kise felt as if he could feel the wind itself as Kaiser Sea Horse moved to attack, a condensed jet of water coming from seemingly nowhere and attacking his face down card, which then revealed his faced down Sangan card.

The three eyed monster appeared for only a second, before it was obliterated into a million pixels.

Kise smirked.

“Thanks, Kaibacchi! Now that Sangan is destroyed, his special effect activates, and I can summon a monster with 1500 attack points or less.”

Kise shuffled through his deck.

“And I choose this card!”

In one fluid motion, Kise placed down his chosen card.

“Meet my Queen’s Knight!”

Kaiba’s eyes narrowed at the familiar card, remembering that Yugi had used that card before.

“You see Kaibacchi, I know that dragons are your specialty. So I came up with a special deck just for you. After all, just like in the stories, the knight always slays the dragon in the end!”

At the tacky metaphor, Kaiba actually smiled.

“Please! If you’re resorting to children’s stories to win, you really are insane! I end my turn!”

Kise drew a card. He really couldn’t believe his luck, the hand he currently had was almost too perfect.

“We’ll see about that Kaibacchi! I summon my King’s Knight!”

His knight materialized next to his female knight, and realization sunk into Kaiba’s face.

“And when King’s Knight is summoned while Queen’s Knight is on the field, I can special summon another card! Can you guess who?”

Kise placed down the next card he retrieved from his deck.

“To complete the trio, here’s my Jack’s Knight! But that’s not it! I also activate Polymerization!”

Kaiba knew nothing good was coming, and grit his teeth as Kise activated his card from his hand. As Jacks Knight materialized in the field, his blade joined the blades of the knights beside him.

“I fusion summon Arcana Knight Joker! And with 3800 attack points, he’s nothing to joke about! Even your precious Blue-Eyes can’t stand up to my knight!”

As the heavily armored and bladed knight appeared on the field in front of him, Kise thought his heart might pop out of his chest at the sight of the larger than life figure. He could hardly believe that he had managed to summon one of his strongest cards in such a short time. Even when he practiced, the combo hardly came easy!

It seemed he wasn’t the only one that thought so, because Mokuba stared in amazement at the monster Kise had been able to summon.

“He summoned a 3800 attack monster on his 2nd turn! Looks like Kise really is more than just a good basketball player.”

Kaiba glared at the new monster card, but did not share in Kise’s excitement or Mokuba’s amazement at its appearance, but did admit to himself that it was a good play on Kise’s part, not that he would voice the thought aloud. Still, the strong monster did little to unnerve him, since his own play was already in motion.

Kise grinned up at his monster with a look of pride.

“Alright Arcana, attack his Kaiser Sea Horse!”

At the Knight lunged forward with his blade, Kaiba smirked.

“I don’t think so kid! I activate my trap card! Negate Attack!”

As his card revealed, a blinding light shot from the card, making Arcana Knight stop in its tracks and be pushed back to Kise’s side of the field.

“Not only is my Kaiser Sea Horse safe, but thanks to this card, your turn ends here and now!”

Kise frowned, but conceded to Kaiba’s counter attack. He should have known that Kaiba would be prepared. Still, Kise knew that even if Kaiba managed to summon his Blue-Eyes White Dragon, it still wouldn’t be able to destroy Arcana.

As Kaiba drew his next card, his grin only widened as he looked at his hand.

“If you’re feeling safe just because you have a decent monster on your field, I suggest you stop now! Watch and learn, kid!”

Using that card he drew, Kaiba placed it face-up on the field.

“I activate my spell card, Dragon Shrine! With this card, I can send one monster from my deck to my graveyard, and I choose my Blue-Eyes White Dragon! And since the card I sent to my graveyard is a Dragon-Type, I can send another dragon to my graveyard, which will be another Blue-Eyes White Dragon!”

Kise’s eyes widened as he watched Kaiba send his favorite card to his graveyard, not once, but _twice_. Kise knew he was up to something. There was no other explanation as to why he would willingly get rid of two of his strongest cards.

“Now, I sacrifice my Kaiser Sea Horse, which, thanks to his special ability, lets me summon my third Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my hand, in defense mode!” 

Kaiba’s game system certainly made sure to do justice to the summoning of his favorite monster. In a magnificent flash, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon that Kise had seen only on TV and downstairs in the main entrance of the tower materialized above Kaiba, the great flap of its giant wings making Kaiba’s white coat flair around him. Kise couldn’t help but be left awe-struck at the sight of such a magnificent monster, the way its skin practically glowed as it settled defensively in front of its master.

Kise had to remind himself that it was just a hologram, but since this was the first time he had ever dueled using Kaiba’s system, it was hard to get used to.

Still, Kise’s eyes narrowed, even more confused as to what Kaiba’s play was. Surely he knew that summoning his Blue Eyes was useless… he didn’t stand a chance against his Arcana Knight Joker, and he would surely be destroyed during his next turn. There had to be more to his strategy…

“I end my turn.”

Kise blinked. He had thought for sure Kaiba was going to do some insane move to counter… but that was it? Either way, Kise refused to let his guard down, and drew his next card.

“I gotta say Kaibacchi… I didn’t think you were the type to be so careless with your favorite dragons,” Kise said, but Kaiba didn’t respond, only waited for Kise’s next play.

“Alright then, I summon another monster, Obnoxious Celtic Guardian!” Kise called out, and placed his monster in attack mode.

Kise knew that it was best to be safe, and at least with Celtic Guardian on the field, any monster with more than 1900 attack points wouldn’t be able to attack him. This way, he could draw out weaker monsters, and although he doubted Kaiba was dumb enough to fall for this strategy while Arcana was on the field, he would be able to chip away at Kaiba’s lifepoints at the very least.

“Alright Arcana! Attack Kaiba’s Blue-Eyes!”

Kise knew that Kaiba had another card faced down, so it was easy to think it was a counter card, however, Kaiba didn’t activate anything, and Arcana’s blade easily slashed through Kaiba’s Blue-Eyes, oblitirating it into pieces. All the while, Kaiba remained unfazed at his monster’s demise.

“Now, Celtic Guardian, attack Kaiba directly!”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes as Kise’s Celtic Guardian lunged at him with his sword, and at the impact, only stumbled back a step as his lifepoints dropped to 2600, and Kise smiled at the small victory. Not only were all of Kaiba’s Blue-Eyes in the graveyard, but his Arcana remained safe on the field despite the card face down on the field.

“So Kaibacchi, what did you think of that?”

Kaiba only scoffed.

“I hope you’re taking notes, because this is how its done!” Kaiba replied, drawing his next card, “Watch as I wipe the floor with your knight!”

Kise narrowed his eyes, not liking the confidence in Kaiba’s voice.

“From my hand, I activate Dragon’s Mirror!” Kaiba called out as he set down the card with a flourish.

“With this spell card, I can use all three of my Blue-Eyes in the graveyard to summon my ultimate Dragon! Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon! Behold, one of the most powerful creatures in all of Duel Monsters, and the source of your demise!”

Kise’s eyes widened as a mirror materialized on the field, and had to cover his eyes with his arm as a blinding light erupted through the mirrored glass. Through half-closed eyes, Kise watched as claws grasped the sides of the mirror, and as not one, but three, familiar heads came through the mirror’s surface, followed by a mighty roar that shook the very room and followed by giant wings. Before long, the mighty dragon stood behind Kaiba, its glowing accents accentuating every bit of the 4500 attack powered monster.

Kise grit his teeth at the appearance of the new dragon. It was easy to see why Kaiba had never once wavered in the face of his knight. Despite how strong Arcana was, he still wasn’t strong enough to take on Neo Blue-Eyes, not without help at least.

“Now my Neo Blue-Eyes, attack his Arcana Knight Joker!”

With a mighty roar, the giant three-headed dragon reared its heads back, pure white energy gathering in their jowls as they powered up their attacks and aimed them in Kise’s Knight’s direction.

“Neutron Blast Attack!”

At Kaiba’s command, the Neo Blue-Eyes released their attacks, the energy gathered in their mouth shooting straight to his Knight, and Kaiba smirked.

“I don’t think so Kaibacchi!”

“What?!” Kaiba gasped as Kise activated one of his face down cards.

“I activate my trap card! Draining Shield!”

A shield Materialized before Arcana Knight, absorbing the three blasts that had come from Neo-Blue Eyes.

“Thanks to my trap card, not only is your attack negated, but I also gain lifepoints equal to your attacking monster!”

Mokuba gasped as he watched the blasts completely disappear into the shield.

“That means Kise gains 4500 lifepoints!”

Kise grinned while Kaiba grimaced.

“That’s right, giving me a total of 8500 lifepoints! How do you like that, Kaibacchi?”

Once more, Kaiba scoffed.

“You might think you’ve stopped me, but you couldn’t be more wrong! Behold, my Neo-Blue Eyes special ability! Because by discarding a Blue-Eyes fusion monster from my extra deck, my Neo-Blue Eyes can attack again!”

Kise’s eyes widened in surprise as Kaiba sent a card to his graveyard.

“What?!”

“Go, Neo-Blue Eyes, attack his Arcana again!”

This time, there was nothing to stop the blasts that erupted from the giant dragon, and Kise watched horrified as his Arcana was disintegrated by Kaiba’s Dragons’ blasts, and his lifepoints dropped to 7800. This was bad news. Depending on how many Blue-Eyes fusion monsters Kaiba had in his extra deck, Kaiba could attack multiple times in a single turn. He needed something to stop that dragon!

“I hope that wasn’t your strongest card, pretty boy, or this match is as good as over!”

Kise narrowed his eyes, his eyes hardening with determination and defiance in the face of such a terrifyingly strong monster, then drew his card.

“It’s not over yet, Kaibacchi! I play, my pot of greed, and draw two more cards!”

Kise smiled at the cards he drew, and looked at Kaiba with molden golden eyes.

“Say, Kaibacchi, you remember seeing me play basketball on the court, right?”

Kaiba’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Kise’s confident glance. He didn’t like that look while his Neo Blue-eyes was on the field.

“What of it?” he humored him.

“Well, if you can remember how I play, then you’ll understand why this card is perfect for me!”

Kaiba didn’t know what the young basketball prodigy was getting at, so he remained silent and waited for him to play his next card.

“Say hello to a card after my own heart, Copycat!”

Kiba frowned as the clown-like monster materialized in front of Kise, and now understood what Kise had meant by relating to the card. After all, how could he forget the way that Kise had played during his basketball match? The way he had managed to copy the moves of his opponents after only seeing them once, and the way he had even managed to copy the monster that the opposing Ace had been.

“You’re right! The resemblance is uncanny!”

Kise only grinned at what he knew Kaiba meant as sarcasm.

“Well as you can guess, I’ll have Copycat copy your precious Neo Blue-eyes! Giving him the same attack and defense as your Dragon!”

Kaiba’s eyes narrowed as he glared at Kise.

“And now Copycat, attack his Neo Blue-Eyes, with Neutron Blast Attack!”

The mirror held in Copycat’s hand glowed, and three blasts of the same energy that had erupted from the dragons across them burst forth and towards the giant dragon, and with a roar, the giant dragon was destroyed, but not before sending its own blasts towards Kise’s Copycat and destroying him as well.

Kaiba grunted as his monster disappeared from in front of him, angry that his precious monster was destroyed by a measly one-star monster of all things.

Kise on the other hard, was ecstatic.

“And don’t forget, I still have my Celtic Guardian, which attacks you directly!”

With a battle cry, his Celtic Guardian lunged forward, cutting across Kaiba’s chest with his sword and making the man grunt in response as his lifepoints dropped once more.

Mokuba grimaced.

“Oh no, Seto is down to 1200 lifepoints, and Kise still has over 7000!”

Mokuba couldn’t help but be surprised that Kise was putting up such a good fight against his brother. Not only had he been able to summon a strong monster in only two turns, but he had also managed to defeat one of his brother’s strongest cards! And with 7800 lifepoints, defeating Kise looked like an impossible feat. What was Seto going to do?

“Still questioning my skills, Kaibacchi?” Kise taunted.

Kaiba made a thoughtful noise, closed his eyes and gave the barest of grins as he drew his card.

“I’ll admit, it seems basketball isn’t the only thing you’re decent at.”

At the remark, Kise balked and pouted.

“_Decent_? I’m offended! I thought I was a little better than that.”

“Basketball is one thing, but this is _my_ court. Let me show you! I play the spell card, card of Sanctity, which lets us both draw up to six cards.”

Kise grinned.

“My, I didn’t know you could be so generous, Kaibacchi!”

Kaiba grunted.

“Please, as if letting you draw more cards will make a difference in this match!”

Both players drew until they each had six cards, knowing that this would mean a fast play would most likely be coming up with a refreshed hand.

Kaiba smirked when he saw he had drawn just what he needed.

“Alright pretty boy, I hope you’re ready!”

Kise tensed, knowing something big was coming his way from Kaiba’s warning.

“First, I summon Axe Raider!”

The beast materialized in front of him, and it was easy to tell why Kaiba had summoned him. At just 1700 attack points, he was strong enough to destroy his Celtic Guardian, and weak enough that he wasn’t hindered by Celtic Guardian’s effect.

“And next, I activate my trap card, call of the haunted!”

Kise’s eyes widened as Kaiba activated his trap card, and as a tombstone materialized on the field, Kise could guess as to which monster he brought back.

“And I bring forth, my Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, that was sent to the graveyard as a result of Neo’s special ability!”

Kise grimaced as the three-headed dragon rose up from the grave, as lively as its previous counterpart, although not as bright due to the lack of accents.

Kaiba smirks at the frown on Kise’s face.

“So how about I clean your side of the field, kid?”

“Axe Raider, destroy his obnoxious Celtic Guardian!”

Kise grimaced once more as his Celtic Guardian was struck down by Kaiba’s monster. Now he was defenseless, and Kaiba still had another monster to attack with.

“And now, Ultimate Blue-Eyes, attack him directly! Neutron Blast Attack!”

The giant dragon gathered his energy, and with a roar, fired from all three heads directly at Kise, who grunted and shielded his eye swith his arms from the brightness of it all. His life points had dropped to 3000, and Kise was glad he had used Draining Shield early, otherwise this match would have been over and Kaiba would have won.

“I set three cards face down, and end my turn!” Kaiba called out as he set all his cards on the spell and trap zone.

Kise sighed. He knew it wasn’t going to be easy to defeat Kaiba, but damn it! This was hard! No matter what he did, Kaiba was always able to bring back his strongest monsters and counter his strategies. He didn’t have many options left, and quite frankly, he had only one good strong monster left that could take on Ultimate Blue-Eyes.

But as he looked at his hand, it looked like he just could summon that monster.

“Alright Kaibacchi, watch this! I activate my spell card, Pre-Preparation of Rites! To draw out my Black Luster Ritual and Black Luster Soldier from my Deck! Then, I play Black Luster Ritual, and sacrifice Beginning Knight and Familiar Knight to summon, you guessed it, Black Luster Soldier to the field!”

While impressed that Kise was able to bring out an impressive combo, his Black Luster Soldier was still not strong enough to take on his Ultimate Blue-Eyes.

“And here’s a nice twist, Kaibacchi, so listen up!”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at Kise’s assertive tone.

“Because I used Beginning Knight to summon Black Luster Soldier, my Soldier gains a special ability! Each turn, I can choose any of your monsters, and banish it! So guess what that means!”

Kaiba grimaced, eyes settling on his Blue Eyes.

“That’s right, I choose to banish your Ultimate Blue-Eyes!”

“I don’t think so!”

Kise’s eyes widened as one of Kaiba’s face down cards activated, revealing a trap card.

“I activate my Interdimensional Matter Transporter! Which means that for this turn, my Ultimate Blue-Eyes is removed from the battlefield, and kept safe from your monster’s ability!”

Kise frowned at the unexpected turn of events, and watched as the deviced transported the giant Blue-Eyes out of his reach.

“That’s fine! You might have saved your Blue-Eyes this turn, but all it takes is destroying your Axe Raider to get rid of the rest of your life points!”

Mokuba gasped at the truth of those words. If Kaiba didn’t do something, he was going to lose the match! But he had two more cards face down, surely one of them would keep him safe.

“Go, Black Luster Soldier! Destroy his Axe Raider and wipe out his lifepoints!”

With a mighty cry, his Black Luster Soldier lunged forward.

“I think not! I activate my trap card, Enchanted Javelin!”

Kise’s eyes widened.

“Thanks to my trap card, I gain life points equal to your attacking monster, meaning this game isn’t over!”

Kise frowned as his Black Luster Soldier slashed through Axe Raider, but rather than seeing Kaiba’s life points drop to zero, Kaiba first gained 3000 life points before damage calculation, leaving him with 2900 life points instead. They were back to even ground.

“I knew it couldn’t be that easy to beat you, I’ll place one card face down and end my turn!”

Kaiba smirked.

“Which means my Ultimate Blue-Eyes comes back to my side of the field, and say goodbye to your Soldier!”

Kaiba drew his card just as his Ultimate Blue-Eyes White Dragon descended on the field behind him, as impossing as ever.

“First, I’ll play this card! Burial from a Different Dimension!”

Kise wasn’t familiar with that card, so he hoped Kaiba could explain as the spell card was revealed on the field.

“With this card, I can add 3 bannished monsters, and return them to the graveyard, and of course, I choose all three of my Blue-Eyes White Dragons!”

Kise narrowed his eyes. That couldn’t be good. He didn’t doubt that with his Blue-Eyes in his graveyard, Kaiba would have ways to bring them back.

“Next, I’ll summon Assault Wyvern, in attack mode!”

The serpent like monster appeared on the field, and Kise felt as if it was staring at him directly.

“I gotta say kid, you put up a good fight! More than I expected from someone that spends their time on a basketball court. Still, this game is as good as mine! So attack, Ultimate Blue-Eyes!”

The familiar blasts of energy formed from the three heads, but Kise only smirked.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself Kaibacchi! This game isn’t over just yet! I activate my face down trap card, Mirror Wall!”

Kise watched in amazement as a multi-colored diamond-like wall rose up from the ground and absorbed the blast of the dragon.

“And when Mirror Wall is in play, during your battle phase your monster’s attack points are halved! Which means, your Blue-Eyes isn’t strong enough to destroy my Black Luster Soldier, and his attack goes right back to him!”

Kise admired the way the gaming system made his Mirror Wall deflect the mighty blast back to the dragon on the opposite side.

What Kise couldn’t see through the blinding light of the energy blasts however, was the grin that spread across Kaiba’s face as the blast approached.

“Good thing I have this then! I activate Half Unbreak! This card keeps my Blue-Eyes from being destroyed, and even better, I lose only half of the life points I would have lost!”

Kise frowned as Kaiba’s card created what seemed like hundreds of bubbles that hurled towards the giant blast of energy and dissipated it into nothing, leaving the Ultimate Blue-Eyes to remain standing proudly, and Kaiba’s life points only dropped to 2525.

“You might be safe from my Blue-Eyes for now kid, but you can only keep your Mirror Wall for so long with its high price! Once you can’t afford to keep it in play, your soldier is dead meat!”

Kise frowned, knowing that Kaiba was right. He had to pay 2000 life points at the end of his turn if he wanted to keep Mirror Wall in play, and with only 3000 life points left, he could only afford to keep it for one more turn unless he managed to pull a card that would give him more life points, and even then, he could only hide for so long before Kaiba found a way around his defense.

But no! Kise refused to give up! He had come too far and too close to stop believing in the cards he had worked so hard to gather. All week, even basketball hadn’t managed to hold his attention the way perfecting his deck had. He had poured hours of thinking and mock matches into which cards he wanted to keep. His friends had even helped him! The way that Momoi helped him with his combos, and even Midorima had agreed to play some practice matches with him!

He knew there was a card in his deck that could help him!

Kise breathed deeply as his hand rested over his deck, silently pleading with it that he draw the card he needed in that moment. This would decide whether or not he had a chance.

_Here I go!_

Kise drew, his eyes closed for a second, almost afraid to see what he had drawn, but when his eyes opened to look at his card, his heart skipped a beat.

And to the surprise of the other occupants of the room, Kise laughed.

Kaiba’s eyes narrowed at the younger duelist across him.

“What’s so funny?” he asked.

Kise grinned.

“Well Kaibacchi, I said earlier that I believed knights to be the ones to slay dragons…” Kise started, looking fondly at his card.

“But I always did believe one more thing! That it was way cooler when they _tamed_ them instead!”

Kise placed down his card, and Kaiba still didn’t know what Kise was getting at.

“So Kaibacchi, watch as I tame your Ultimate Blue-Eyes, with this!”

The card that Kise placed revealed itself on the field, and Kaiba’s eyes widened.

“What are you doing with that!”

Kise smirked, his eyes lighting up with glee.

“I activate Soul Exchange, and target your Ultimate Blue-Eyes!”

A blue light eminated from from the Soul Exchange card, and shot a stream that enveloped Kaiba’s Ultimate Blue-Eyes it its earie glow, making the Dragon cry out in confusion.

“Not only that, I use my Polymerization, to fuse your Ultimate Blue-Eyes with _my_ Black Luster Soldier, to bring forth my ultimate card!”

Kaiba growled as his Blue-Eyes flew to Kise’s side of the field, where Black Luster Soldier jumped onto it, and a blinding light erupted from the Polymerization card.

“Say hello to the mighty, Dragon Master Knight!”

With a mighty roar, all heads of the dragon pointed towards Kaiba, with Black Luster Soldier sitting comfortably on the mighty dragon’s back.

Mokuba gasped as Kise took control of Kaiba’s most powerful monster, and used it to summon an even more powerful monster with 5000 attack points. And as he looked to his brother, Mokuba could see the surprise in his brother’s face.

The only time Kaiba had ever seen this card was back in that Ancient Egyptian shadow game, where Kaiba had fused his Ultimate Blue Eyes with the Pharaoh in order to fight Dartz, and then again against Zorc. Back then however, Kaiba had voluntarily given his Ultimate Blue Eyes, very unlike what Kise had just managed to do.

“How dare you! I’ll make you regret taking my Blue-eyes!”

Kise grinned. In all honesty, putting this card in his deck had been for fun more than anything. Since Kaiba was the only person that could really summon Ultimate Blue-Eyes, this card was practically useless to any other dueler.

Unless of course, you planned on dueling Kaiba, and you had the right combination of cards.

Now that he thought about it, it had actually been Akashi that had somehow managed to get this card for him, and told him he would know when to use it. He would have never thought of it himself, but as always, it seemed that Akashi really _could_ see everything. He would have to thank him after this was all over.

“Don’t worry Kaibacchi, I promise I’ll take good care of him! And lucky for you, because of Soul Exchange, I can’t attack this turn!”

Despite his success at managing to do the impossible, Kise knew that if Kaiba was able to counter with a card in his hand or field, he would have no way to recover. He only had one card left face down on the field, and nothing else to play.

“And as a precautionary measure, I’ll pay 2000 life points to keep Mirror Wall on the field!”

With only 1000 life points left, Kise knew that they were nearing the end. But as long as Kaiba had nothing up his sleeve, Kise should be able to finish the match on his next turn.

Kaiba was tense as he drew his next card, anger still flowing through his veins at the sight on his Ultimate Blue-Eyes on the side of his opponent’s field. He hated when people stole his Blue-Eyes, as if they had any right to the card that was his alone! Still, he would make sure that his Blue-Eyes was back with its rightful owner.

“Nothing pisses me off more than my dragons being taken from me, so watch me reclaim it!”

Kaiba then placed a card on the field.

“First, I activate Silver’s Cry from my hand, which lets me bring back my Neo Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon from the graveyard!”

For the second time during their game, the mighty three headed dragon appeared in a flurry of lights, taking shape into the identical monster on Kise’s side, only brighter and shinier than its counterparts from the glowing accents across its body.

Kise grimaced. Even though Neo Blue-Eyes was still weaker than his Dragon Master Knight, he didn’t doubt that Kaiba might have an attack boosting card that could give him the advantage, or something else up his sleeve.

“Next, I’ll sacrifice my Assault Wyvern, to activate this!”

Kaiba’s face down card activated, and Kise’s eyes wideded at the sight.

“No!”

“Yes! I activate my enemy controller to take back my Blue-Eyes, _and_ your Soldier! Left, right, A, B!”

With Kaiba’s words, the buttons on the controller hologram were pressed, and the cord struck out towards Kise’s Master Knight.

“Not so fast Kaibacchi!”

Kise said, and his own face down card revealed, making Kaiba frown and glare at Kise.

“I activate my Riryoku Shield, and stop your enemy controller in its tracks!”

The three headed dragon roared as the controller ricochetted off its body, and Kaiba growled as his plan to reclaim his dragon failed.

“I end my turn.”

Once again, Mokuba couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Despite managing to constantly bring back his most powerful monster, Kise was still managing to counter his brother’s attacks, and now, even with Neo Blue-eyes on the field, it was still too weak to take on Master Knight. Was his brother actually going to lose?

Kise couldn’t believe what was happening. His heart was pounding in his chest so hard he could hear it in his own ears, his breathing had quickened slightly, and he was hyper aware of everything around him. This was almost the same feelings he felt on a court, on the last minute of play, with the score practically tied. And as he drew his next card, Kise knew that he might actually do it.

He might actually win.

With no more cards left on the field, and only one card in his hand, Kise couldn’t see how Kaiba could possibly counter his next attack, specially with the card he just drew.

“Alright Kaibacchi, this match was everything I hoped for and more! You really are amazing! I’ve only ever had this much fun during a basketball game!”

Kaiba grinned.

“You speak as if you’ve won.”

Kise blinked, but figured it was Kaiba just putting up a tough front.

“You’re right, I haven’t won yet, so why don’t we get the ball rolling!”

In one fluid motion, Kise placed down the card he had just drawn.

“I activate my Monster Reborn! And I use it to summon the one and many, Copycat!”

As the clownlike monster returned to the field, Kise grinned. How fitting it seemed to have this card give the final blow.

“And you guessed it! I choose your Neo Blue-Eyes to copy! So it ends here Kaibacchi!”

As if in preparation, Kise’s Dragon Master Knight reared back in preparation, as if it was expecting Kise’s next command.

“Attack, Dragon Master Knight! Destroy his Neo Blue-Eyes! Dragon Saber Blast!”

With a roar and grunt from his Dragon and Soldier, the massive beast attacked, the Knight atop of it urging it forward with a cry and its own attack from its blade.

As the blasts of energy hits its target, the opposing Blue-Eyes gave one last pained cry before it was destroyed, and Kaiba lost 500 life points.

“And this is it Kaiba! You’re defenseless! So go, Copycat! Attack!’

Kaiba smirked.

“Hold it right there!” Kaiba cried out as he set down a monster card in defense mode, and Kise’s eyes widened.

“Because when a Blue-Eyes of mine is destroyed, I can special summon this card from my hand! Meet my Deep-Eyes White Dragon!”

In an even more magnificent display than that of his Neo Blue-Eyes, the unfamilliar monster to Kise was summoned as if he was coming from space itself, a dragon that appeared even larger than all of Kaiba’s previous dragons. This dragon looked to be made out of pure platinum, with its large wingspan covered in glowing diamons, and an arc across its back that made Kise think of an Angelic figure.

Kise felt his heart quicken, not sure what to expect from Kaiba’s new monster, but took notice of it’s 0 attack and 0 defense points, which meant he could still be destroyed.

“Either way Kaibacchi, your monster can’t stand up to my Copycat’s 4500 attack points!”

Rather than looked perturbed by the proclamation, Kaiba only looked on calmly.

“You’re right, but its too bad you’ve already lost!”

Kise frowned, not liking Kaiba’s look of confidence.

“Because you see, when Deep-Eyes is summoned this way, his special ability activates! And for every dragon in my graveyard with a different name, you lose 600 life points, making it more than enough to wipe out the rest of your life points!”

Kise gasped, and realized the truth of his words. Kaiba had more than enough dragons in his graveyard to wipe out the rest of his life points, and Kise had no cards to counter it!

“So go forth, Deep-Eyes, destroy Kise’s life points!”

With an earth-shattering roar, the arc upon the dragon’s back and wings lit up, and a blast of pure white energy shot out towards Kise, forcing him to cover his eyes with both arms.

“Argh!” Kise cried out, and watched through barely-opened eyes as his life points dropped to zero.

“Game over, kid!”

Kise felt himself deflate in a familiar manner. He had been so sure he would win, but Kaiba was able to best him at the last possible second.

As the lights died down and the room returned to normal, Kise felt the familiar bitterness of losing in the pit of his stomach, and he clenched his hands into fists.

But despite that, there was something else coursing through him. Kise was surprised to feel himself smiling. Smiling as the adrenaline still coursed through his body, as his heart continued to hammer in his chest from the excitement he felt.

From his side, Mokuba looked at Kise with concern. He hadn’t yet moved or said anything else, and the way that his head was bowed low made him want to go over to the younger man and ask if he was okay. He knew that for people like Kise and his brother, losing was hard.

Kaiba only looked on at the boy, waiting for his reaction. Kise Ryota was indeed a good player, had he participated in the previous tournaments of years past, Kaiba had no doubt that he would have been a remembered name. It was a miracle he hadn’t heard of him before. After all, it was rare when Kaiba played a match this close, and those he had experienced such matches had usually been the result of foul play. But Kise had played fair and square, and managed to counter and challenge him constantly. No turn that either took had been meaningless, and for a second, Kaiba truly had thought he might not win.

Both Kaiba brothers were surprised when Kise finally looked up, a broad grin on his face and his golden eyes shining brightly as he looked at Kaiba.

“Again!” he said, “Let’s play again!”

Kaiba blinked as he looked at the blonde man. Rather than look defeated and destroyed, it looked as if he was even more eager than when he first came in.

“Are you an idiot? Do you really want to lose again?”

Kise grinned.

“C’mon Kaibacchi! Even you have to admit that was a close duel! Give me another shot! I know I can win!”

The look on Kise Ryota’s face told Kaiba that he didn’t intend on backing down, and Kaiba actually considered his request. Now that they knew what to expect from each other, it was true that they might try different strategies. And if Kaiba was honest with himself, it had been a long time since he had played such a good match with someone who could keep him on his toes. Not to mention, he was curious at what else Kise had up his sleeve.

After a moment of silence, Kaiba sighed.

“Fine, if you want to lose so bad, we’ll duel again.”

Kise wasn’t the only one that was surprised by Kaiba’s response, as Mokuba looked at his brother in shock. Was Kaiba really agreeing to play again? His brother certainly wasn’t known to play casually. He had already answered Kise’s challenge, beat him fairly. His brother wasn’t known to play rematches against people that had lost against him, and once someone lost to him, he tended to never bother playing them again. It was only gainst Yugi that Kaiba had ever insisted on playing multiple times, and only because Yugi had always bested him.

But this time, Kaiba really had no reason to play again. Could it be, that he was only playing for fun?

Mokuba blinked.

His brother never played for fun…was this really going on? Had Kise really managed to convince his brother to play without any stakes but for the sake of playing?

Kise on the other hand, thought nothing more as he pumped his fist into the air.

“_Yes_! Let’s go again Kaibacchi!”


	12. Who Would Have Thought

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kise gets more than he bargained for. But not in a bad way.

As it turned out, they played two more matches. The second had ended in an unexpected tie, which led to the third, which Kaiba once again won, and barely. After that, it was only thanks to Mokuba’s insistence that they take a break that they stopped, and mostly because it was Kise that insisted he was sure he could win the next duel.

“It’s late Kise, why don’t you join us for dinner tonight? Our treat?”

It was then that Kise took the time to look at his watch and the time.

“Oh man, it is getting late! I still have to look at the train schedule to get home!”

At his comment, Mokuba remembered that Kise really did live quite a way from them, but he’d hate to send him home without food after having him here all day. It just didn’t seem right.

“Don’t worry about that, let’s get some food and we’ll figure out rides home later.”

Kise seemed torn on the matter, the struggle showing clearly on his face before he sighed, one of his hands slipping into his pocket as he conceded.

“Sure okay, it would be nice to spend more time with you. Kaibacchi, you’ll join us right?” Kise’s eyes practically glittered, and Kaiba had to look away at the obvious excitement on his face.

“Only because its Mokuba’s last night here.”

At the realization, Kise looked back to Mokuba who was nodding.

“Yeah, I go back to America tomorrow!”

Kise had forgotten that Mokuba was only visiting. He did say he was spending his vacation in his home town with his brother. Now he felt guilty about intruding on their time.

“Are you sure you want me to go with you then? I’d hate to get between you on your last night here…”

Mokuba shook his head.

“Please, I’ve had twenty-one years with Seto, a dinner will hardly be getting in the way.”

Kise looked to see if Kaiba would object, only to see that he was just finishing a call on his cell phone.

“Reservations are made. Let’s go. Whether you want to come or not is your choice, kid.”

Kaiba didn’t wait for a response as he turned and walked towards the elevator, and Kise shared a look with Mokuba as the older smiled encouragingly. Kise had to admit, it wasn’t everyday he would get an invitation to eat with one of his childhood idols and most successful businessmen in the country.

“Alright, thanks for having me!” with a smile and a hop in his step, Kise followed after the Kaiba brothers.

* * *

The car ride to the restaurant was spent with Mokuba and Kise telling Kaiba what they had done all day, and all that Kise had learned about what went into the products and software.

Half-way to their destination however, the sound of Kise’s phone ringing paused the conversation, and Kise took out his phone to see just who was calling. Seeing the familiar name, Kise looked at the brothers apologetically.

“Sorry, I have to take this.”

The brother nodded their consent and Kise answered his phone.

“Ah, good evening Akashicchi!” Kise answered, his voice surprisingly subdued for the excitable young man.

_“Good evening Kise,”_ the familiar deep but soothing baritone answered from the other end_, “I thought I would call to see how your match against Seto Kaiba went. It was today, was it not?”_

Kise blinked, since he didn’t remember telling his friends when exactly he planned to duel Kaiba, and wondered how Akashi had known. Then again, it was _Akashi_, and there were few things he didn’t know.

“Ah yes, it was. I’m afraid I didn’t win though. Kaibacchi is as good as ever. But I did come close, thanks to the card you gave me!”

At the mention of his name and cards, Kaiba couldn’t help but listen in on Kise's conversation. Whoever he was speaking to, it seemed they were responsible for giving Kise one of his cards, and considering how many rare cards he had shown to have, it could be any one of them.

_“I see. I’m glad the card I gave you was of use to you, and despite the outcome of your duel, there might be a chance yet to win by altering your deck accordingly.”_

Kise smiled at Akashi’s words of encouragement. While the call had been unexpected, he couldn’t say it was unappreciated. Like all of them, Akashi had changed a great deal from the absolute Emperor he had once made himself out to be, and while he was as imposing as ever, he was glad that his cold façade had thawed into the caring and efficient leader he had always been.

“I couldn’t agree more, I’ll make sure to improve my deck!”

_“Very well, be proud of your accomplishments, Kise. Not everyone has the honor of battling Seto Kaiba. If you need any more help, don’t hesitate to come to me.”_

Kise smiled brightly, warmth pooling in the pit of his stomach at Akashi’s words.

“Thanks Akashicchi! I will! Thanks for checking in with me, it means a lot to me.”

There was a thoughtful noise on the phone, and Kise could picture Akashi’s smile in his mind.

_“It is no trouble. Have a good rest of your night, Kise.”_

“Same to you, Akashicchi.”

Kise hung up the phone, and beamed at the two brothers who turned their attention back to him.

“Sorry, that was my middle school captain, Akashi Seijuro.”

Kaiba blinked, the name sounding familiar to his ears.

“Akashi? Is he by chance related to the Akashi Conglomerate?”

Kise nodded, not surprised that Kaiba was able to make the connection from the name.

“Yeah actually, Akashicchi is the heir, a very capable one at that! I respect him a lot. He’s a great leader, thanks to him, we were unstoppable in middle school, and managed not to kill each other. Not to mention his current team has won most of the past few basketball championships. In fact, it was Akashicchi that gave me the Dragon Master Knight card. At the time, I thought he was insane to give me a card I didn’t think I’d ever be able to use, but he sure proved me wrong as soon as I saw the combo during our game.”

Kaiba couldn’t help but be impressed. The Akashi Conglomerate was indeed a superpower in the corporate world, and to think that the heir to such a company actually dedicated his time to a sport. Being an heir himself, when he was sixteen, he had already taken over KaibaCorp, and although the circumstances had been different, he couldn’t imagine doing something like a club activity instead of learning how to run a company.

Then again, from the way Kise spoke of the Akashi heir, it seemed that he was more than capable of taking on a club activity atop of what was expected from him as heir. In fact, the fact that he had the precognition of giving Kise such a specific card, not to mention rare, that could only be summoned under the smallest of conditions spoke volumes. If he could apply that kind of intuition in the corporate world, then he could see the young heir be quite the formidable businessman.

Kaiba also had to give Kise props for being able to see the combo as soon as it became available. Not everyone was able to do that.

“I’ve seen some of his plays, and to be an heir too, he’s amazing! Then again, all of the Generation of Miracles are pretty amazing…” Mokuba spoke up.

Kise visibly brightened up with pride.

“Yeah, everyone is amazing. It’s only thanks to them that I’ve stuck with basketball for so long!” Kise confided.

“What do you mean?” Mokuba asked.

Kise looked sheepish.

“Well, once I started playing all kinds of sports, it didn’t take long before I mastered them and, no offense to the players, but no one could really give me a challenge, and it got boring after a while so I would quit after only a year or less. Then in middle school, when I met everyone in Teiko, it was like finally finding players that could challenge me. I could never copy them until high school, and even then, going up against them is a challenge!”

Mokuba couldn’t say he was surprised from what Kise said. It was easy to see how he could quickly master a sport and finding players on the same caliber as the Generation of Miracles was rare enough, to find five in one school was practically unheard of.

Kaiba on the other hand, couldn’t help but relate to Kise’s words. Growing up, he had been raised to believe winning was everything, and to him, winning came easy. In Duel Monsters, no one could come close to defeating him. And until he met Yugi, he had been practically invincible. And it was only after meeting and being defeating by Yugi and Atem that Duel Monsters began to be enjoyable again. The thrill of knowing he might lose, was better than the certainty that he would win. The frustration when losing however, was just as bitter.

“Well Kise, I gotta say, out of all the Generation of Miracles, you’ve always been my favorite!” Mokuba said as he smiled at Kise, who looked shocked at Mokuba’s confession.

“W-what? Why? Are you sure you’re not just saying that?” there was a small blush across Kise’s cheeks, and Mokuba laughed.

“I’m serious! I mean, look at you. You joined basketball much later than everyone, and not only that, you can do everything everyone else can do and more! You’re so versatile, and can play just about any position. I mean, take Aomine, the ace, for example! He’s been playing since he was a kid, and yet you’re able to match him perfectly! You’re the entire Generation of Miracles in one!”

Kise was used to praise. In fact, most of his life had included constant praise by others. Whether it was his looks, or his athletic abilities, there was never shortage of praise. Sure, there were still people that tried to tear him down, but he had learned to see those comments as ones made from jealousy, and they never much bothered him.

Still, to be told that he was the best out of all the Generation of Miracles? Well, Kise couldn’t imagine a higher praise than that.

Kise blinked, his lips forming a thin line, before he practically threw himself against Mokuba, wrapping his arms around him in a tight hug.

“Mokubacchi!” Kise cried out dramatically, “You’re too kind! I’m not worthy!”

Mokuba laughed, and Kaiba rolled his eyes at the display.

Thank goodness they were practically at the restaurant.

* * *

By the time they had been sat down at a table, Kise was glad he had sort of dressed up for the occasion. While Kaiba hadn’t chosen an over-the-top restaurant, Kise still managed to feel underdressed. Still, from the way they had been greeted and escorted to their table without hesitation, it was obvious to Kise that this restaurant would have served them if Kise had come in his pajamas from the way the staff practically groveled for Seto Kaiba. To be expected for the CEO of what was no doubt the most successful company in the city of Domino.

The restaurant Kaiba had chosen was at the top floor of one of the buildings in the city, with large windows that showed an amazing view of the city beyond, and the sun had set so that the city lights came alive. Kise tried not to seem as overwhelmed as he felt. To think, that not only was he able to challenge Seto Kaiba to a duel, but he was having dinner with him and his brother! Even if Kise had lost, this was more than enough to shake the bitter taste of defeat.

As Kise opened his menu, his eyes widened at the prices of the food.

“Neh… Kaibacchi, Mokubacchi… this is nice and all… but this food is pricey…”

“Hey, we said our treat! Don’t worry about it, money is of no consequence,” Mokuba reassured him.

“Seriously kid, don’t sweat it, but if you don’t want to eat, it’s your choice,” Kaiba also added.

Kise pouted, but knew that for the owners of a multi-billion dollar company, money really was of no concern. Still…

“Neh Kaibacchi… can you stop calling me kid? My name is Kise Ryota. _Ki-se Ry-o-ta_.” he said, sending Kaiba a small glower and pronouncing each syllable in his name.

Kaiba only smirked.

“Sure, I’ll stop calling you kid when you drop the –cchi on my name,” Kaiba replied.

Kise sighed.

“Well that’s not happening. I like calling you Kaibacchi, it suits you.”

Kaiba returned to his menu.

“Well there’s your answer.”

Kise looked to Mokuba, as if to plead to talk sense to his brother, only for Mokuba to shrug as if to say there was nothing he could do on the matter.

The matter was dropped, and it wasn’t long before all three had their drinks and food in front of them. And as soon as Kise had the first bite of the steak he had ordered, he felt as if he was in heaven. It was no doubt the best steak he had ever eaten, and it better damn well have been from the price of the meal. He also wasn’t disappointed by the potatoes, and even his side salad was among the best he could ever remember having.

“Man, if being rich means eating like this all the time, I might actually have to go pro in basketball!”

Kise said as he finished another bite.

“I support that decision!” Mokuba replied, “I would love to see you play in the big leagues!”

Kise smiled at the sincerity and excitement in Mokuba’s voice, but deflated when he remembered the reason he didn’t think he _could_ get into big leagues.

“Well, I guess it _would_ be nice, but even if I wanted to, I don’t think I _could_ get into the pros,” Kise admitted, the admittance of it taking some of his appetite away.

Mokuba blinked in confusion, and even Kaiba’s interest looked piqued.

“Why do you say that?” Mokuba asked, “You’re amazing! How could you not be picked by a pro team?”

Kise sighed dejectedly.

“Well, during my first year of high school, I had an injury during a game. I was stubborn and didn’t rest or let it heal properly, and during another game, another player purposely hurt my leg even more. It’s one of the reasons my stamina isn’t as good as it could be, and why even though I can still play better than most average high school players, it’s hard to go up against really good players like the Generation of Miracles, and I’m sure it would be harder with pro-level players.”

Mokuba frowned.

“What a jerk! Are you saying your leg injury never healed properly, and you’re still able to play as good as you do? That makes you even more amazing Kise!” Mokuba replied, smiling excitedly at Kise, who blinked in confusion.

He had never really looked at it that way, but even so, it just meant that even if he had once had the potential to be better, that potential had been squashed the moment his leg held him back. Thinking about it made him look down at his plate, not being able to feel worthy of Mokuba’s stare.

“I mean… not really. Because of that injury, I can’t hold out long enough to keep a point gap or get ahead when it comes to the strongest teams. I’ve been lucky a few times, and some of the new underclassmen have really changed the dynamics for the better, and that’s probably the only reason why we’ve managed to win as many games as we have. Especially when the others go into the zone! Individually, I can’t hold a candle to them.”

Mokuba knew exactly what he meant, since he had seen some of the players in times when they were especially amazing and unstoppable.

Kaiba was surprised to see Kise speaking so lowly of himself, for someone that seemed to exude confidence and optimism. In fact, it was the last thing he expected to come out of his mouth after he had the audacity to challenge him to a duel. But it did explain one thing.

“Tell me kid, wasn’t that guy you played against in your match that Mokuba and I went to considered the Ace of the little group of prodigies you belong to?”

Kise blinked, surprised that Kaiba had spoken up and remembered such a detail from the match they had seen. Nevertheless, Kise nodded.

“Ah… yeah. I’ve always thought Aominecchi was the best individually. I don’t think even Akashicchi could beat him alone. Akashicchi’s true strength is in the way he can use those around him.”

Kaiba folded his hands in front of him, and stared at Kise straight in the eye in the way that made Kise tense. It was as if Kaiba was staring at his very soul, as if he was challenging him to question what he was about to say. It was the kind of pressure Kise had only ever felt on the court, making the back of his neck sweat slightly.

“From where I was sitting, it seemed to me as if you were handling yourself just fine against this Aomine. In fact, it seemed to me as if not only were you a perfect match, you had more in your arsenal than he did. If you didn’t win, it wasn’t because of your lack of skill, but because you gave up before the game was even over.”

Kise felt Kaiba’s words sting to his core, making his fists clench against his thighs as he looked away from his gaze and away, a frown on his face.

Kise wanted to protest. He wanted to deny Kaiba’s claim.

After all, what did he know?

What did Seto Kaiba know of just how hard he had tried, how he had never given up, but how he had _never been good enough._ That no matter how hard he tried, he always fell short? This past year had been nothing but constant reminders that he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t get better. What did a successful billionaire know of failure?

But he did know.

Kaiba prided himself in his ability to distinguish winners from losers, and the look of someone who didn’t give up versus someone that did. During tournaments and duels, Kaiba had seen time and time again the very moment when someone gave up. Back then, it always gave him a sense of superiority at being able to crush his opponents to the point that they gave up before the last card was even played. After defeating countless of people, Kaiba knew the signs enough to recognize them in any medium. And as he watched the final play between Aomine and Kise, Kaiba had seen the very moment in which Kise had given up.

Whether Kise would come to terms with it or not was a different issue.

“Ah, so guys, any dessert? Because I could sure use some dessert!” Mokuba spoke up, wanting to move past an obviously uncomfortable situation as Kise still hadn’t replied to Kaiba’s comment.

Kise was quick to take the out.

“Ah me! I love dessert! I can only imagine how good their dessert is here! What do you wanna get Mokubacchi?”

Kise ended up getting their specialty cheesecake, while Mokuba got a type of chocolate cake, and to the surprise of Kise, even Kaiba got a dessert; a type of tiramisu.

As Kise savored his dessert, he never wanted to finish it, and long after Kaiba and Mokuba had finished theirs, Kise still had some of his.

“Will you hurry up and finish your food, or do you plan on staying here all night?” Kaiba chastised as rested his cheek on the back of one hand and glared at Kise.

Kise only grinned and stuck his tongue out at the older man.

“Listen Kaibacchi, I might never have a dessert this good again! I’m trying to savor it!”

Kaiba blinked and sighed, before pressing the button on the table that would flag their waitress to them.

In less than what felt like thirty seconds, the young woman was at their table, smiling brightly at Kaiba and asking what she could do for him.

“Check, and another of those desserts to go,” Kaiba replied, barely looking at the girl who had been ogling him the entire night, and pointed to Kise’s dessert.

Kise blinked in surprise, but didn’t have time to stop the girl as she walked away to do as told.

“Kaibacchi! Are you serious?” Kise protested.

“What? If it’ll make you finish your food faster.”

Mokuba laughed, seeing on Kise’s face that he was not so secretly pleased.

It was true though, it was getting late, and Kise still hadn’t looked at train schedules! He had been so caught up in listening to Mokuba talk about his studies overseas, and all the fun and adventures he had gone on, that he had forgotten about his own situation.

“Well we can’t leave until I know the train schedules! Let me look it up.”

Kise took out his phone and pulled up the schedules he had used to get to Domino City, and while there were still trains heading out from Domino, Kise was able to see a problem.

“Uh oh…” he said aloud, looking over the train schedule again to see if he saw wrong, and groaned when he saw that he had seen right.

“What is it, Kise?” Mokuba asked, looking concerned.

Kise looked up with a worried expression.

“Well… It looks like there’s no more trains going out from the station where I switched trains by the time I get there… so I’d be stuck there until morning.”

Mokuba grinned.

“Oh, well that’s no problem. Just stay with us for the night! And you can go back tomorrow,” Mokuba offered.

“Really?” Kise asked, his face lighting up as relief filled him.

Mokuba nodded.

“Of course, as if we would leave you stranded!” He replied, then looked at Kaiba, “Right Seto?”

Kaiba scoffed.

“Well, he’s already stayed this long,” he replied.

Kise grinned.

“You guys are the best!”

* * *

Kise should have known.

Really, what was he supposed to expect from a man that made sure he had the tallest tower in Domino City? The man who apparently even had his own private jet that looked like a Blue-Eyes White Dragon!

Of course he would have a huge mansion as his home.

Kise would bet Kaiba’s middle name was ‘Luxury’, and even his home showed it.

As if the long driveway and gated entrance wasn’t enough, the home practically lit up the sky from the dozens of many large windows along what Kise could see as two floors, while the entire home looked to be the same length as his apartment complex that housed at least 15 apartments.

It was made out of reddish-brown bricks, and looked like a traditional mansion rather than a modern one. The grass and surroundings bushes and trees were perfectly maintained, not a stone out of place.

“Nice place,” Kise commented as he exited the car that took them to the mansion’s entrance.

“Thanks,” Mokuba replied with a smile as he followed after Kaiba into the mansion.

As expected, the inside was just as impressive. Upon entering, Kise was greeted by two staircases leading up to the second floor, one to his left and the other to the right. In front of him was a large open space, with white stone-like walls that made Kise think of a roman temple, especially with the statues at the base of the stairs, and the large paintings along the walls of what looked to be oil paintings of perhaps Kaiba’s family? He saw a resemblance from the woman seating on the chair with long blue hair with Mokuba, and the resemblance to Kaiba from the man standing beside her, with his brown hair and angular features.

There was also a painting of Kaiba and Mokuba as children, and a more up to date painting of them that must have been within the past few years as Mokuba’s hair was a bit shorter.

The remainder of the room was furnished with a few couches along the walls, rugs, and a table.

Overall, the inside of the home exuded an air of sophistication and power.

Did Kaiba really live in this huge place by himself with Mokuba off overseas? How did he do it? Didn’t he get lonely?

“Wanna play some video games?” Mokuba offered, and Kise looked at him in surprise.

For some reason, the suggestion of video games was the last thing Kise expected when in a mansion.

“C’mon! We have an awesome game room!” Mokuba urged as he led the way to the stairs on the right.

Kise smiled and saw that despite Mokuba being a few years older than him, he had an air of innocence that Kise found endearing.

Well, a game room sounded about right for the Kaiba brothers.

“Alright Mokubacchi! Although I gotta be honest… I’m not very good at video games…” Kise admitted with a laugh as he followed him up.

Mokuba paused mid-way up the stairs, making Kise almost run into him, and saw that Mokuba was looking across to the other stairs, where Kaiba was walking up.

“Seto! Feel free to join us!” Mokuba called out encouragingly, and Kaiba only nodded and spared them a brief glance before continuing his way up the stairs to his own destination in the large home.

Kise continued to follow Mokuba, taking in the seemingly long hallway with many doors and more paintings and furnishings.

“This place is huge, have you lived here your entire life?” Kise asked.

Mokuba turned to glance at him and nodded.

“Yeah, we’ve lived here since we were adopted, but to be honest, we were so busy while growing up that we hardly spent time here. There were so many nights spent in headquarters when Seto first took over that we have our rooms there, and even now, Seto has a penthouse in the city for when he doesn’t want to come all the way here.”

Kise looked at Mokuba in wonder. He couldn’t imagine having the luxury of choosing where to spend the night every day, and owning multiple homes at that. More than that, he couldn’t decide if that was a burden or a freedom in on itself…

“Here we are, this is actually my first time in here in months!” Mokuba said as he turned on the lights, bathing the large room in bright lighting, and as expected, the room as was impressive as the rest of the house.

There were actually two large flat screen curved TV’s on adjacent deep blue colored walls, with plenty of shelf material lined with movies and games alike, couches and reclining chairs arranged perfectly around the TV’s, a pool table, dart board, and even what looked like a bar, with more appliances than Kise could make sense of.

Mokuba grinned at Kise’s surprised face.

“My brother and I used to sneak in here during the middle of the night after he was done with his studies, and sometimes our stepfather would let us spend our birthdays here, but other than that, it’s been kind of left alone. But since my brother still gets new games and consoles for free from other gaming companies and systems since a lot of our tech is used by them, we pretty much have anything you would want to play that’s out right now.”

Kise nodded in understanding, but was still surprised. He knew that KaibaCorp was big, but he didn’t know that it was so widely used!

“Yeah! There’s this new game that came out that we should play. It’s called Overclock! And then there’s the new Final Fantasia which I heard is also good,” Mokuba said excitedly.

Kise had heard of them from classmates, and many had pushed him to get them, which was hard to do considering he didn’t even own a console to begin with.

Kise smiled sheepishly.

“Which do you think would be easier for me?”

Mokuba grinned.

And that’s how an hour and a half hour later, Kise and Mokuba were on the floor, laughing as they played Marlo Kart for the tenth race, with Kise slowly getting better with each race but not good enough to dethrone Mokuba from his 10th win. They had played a few other games, but it turned out Kise was awful at shooter games, too scared to play horror games, and had no attention span when it came to open world and puzzle games.

The two found it easy to be in each other’s company, making it easy to talk and play while sharing stories about themselves and their lives. Mokuba had even told Kise about Idania, and their most recent trip to Nicaragua where he had seen her and realized he liked her more than he thought.

“Do you want to make it official with her?” Kise asked, just barely dogging a banana peel left behind by one of the NPC’s and activating the torpedo that he had just collected, propelling him into 6th place.

Mokuba sighed, expertly countering a red shell sent his way with a banana, and giving himself a speed boost as he rounded a sharp corner.

“I don’t know. I think I do want to, but I don’t know if I should. Long distance relationships are hard, not to mention we’re from two completely different countries, with different native languages, and our common language isn’t even one of them. I mean, if I couldn’t even make it work with a girl that lived on the same campus as me, what makes me think I can make it work with a girl that lives a whole continent away?” Mokuba pondered.

Kise hummed in thought, groaning when he was hit by a star-powered NPC.

“Well, for one, Idania is a different girl than the other one. Just because your first relationship didn’t work out, doesn’t mean it won’t work with Idania. She sounds like a much more kind and understanding girl, and you _have_ been talking to her for a year already. She hasn’t pushed you into anything, and seems content with the time you do give her. It sounds like the complete opposite of the first girl you told me about.”

Mokuba blinked and thought on Kise’s words.

“I guess you have a point…” Mokuba said. Who knew Kise was good with relationship advice?

“And you know what they say Mokubacchi, it’s better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all!” Kise said dramatically, and Mokuba laughed.

“That’s so cheesy! Anyway, what about you? Have you had a serious girlfriend?” Mokuba asked, and Kise’s grip on his remote tightened slightly.

“Ah well, I did date someone a bit ago for about a year. We broke up a few months ago, but we’re still good friends,” Kise replied, deciding it was best not to share the fact it had been a _boyfriend_ rather than a girlfriend. After all, no matter how much he liked Mokuba, he had still only known him for a short time. Not enough time to know whether he could openly come out to the man, and especially not when he didn’t have a place to stay for the night. Mokuba seemed like a great and understanding guy, but a topic like his sexuality was a little more sensitive than he was comfortable discussing on their first time hanging out.

“Ah well at least it doesn’t sound like it ended badly. And I bet there’s a bunch of girls lining up for you, basketball prodigy and all,” Mokuba said, just as he passed the finish line in the expected 1st place.

Kise chuckled nervously.

“Yeah, you could say that…” he said, thinking of his fan clubs.

Not that he was interested in any of them.

“We should play Ketten next. It’s a fighting game that should be easy enough for you,” Mokuba suggested as they finished the last race of the Grand Prix, with Mokuba ending in 1st place while Kise in 5th, a vast improvement from the first race they played.

“Sure! Not that I think I stand a chance against you,” Kise said as he tried to make himself more comfortable on the floor, his jeans rubbing up on him uncomfortably as he did so.

“Hey, do you mind if I borrow some clothes to change into?” Kise cut in before Mokuba could change the game.

“Oh yeah, of course! You’re probably better off borrowing from my brother though, his clothes will probably fit you better.”

It was true, Kise and Kaiba were about the same height and build, with Kise maybe having a slightly broader build from playing basketball while Kaiba was an inch taller. Mokuba’s clothes would probably be a little too snug on him now that he thought about it.

“That’s a good idea, is his room just down the hall? I’ll ask him,” Kise said, already getting up from the floor.

Mokuba nodded.

“Yeah, I’ll walk you over and then change too, Seto might be in his office.”

Well, that wouldn’t surprise him at all. From what Mokuba had told him, it seemed as if all Kaiba did was work, but given his position, it was no wonder.

As Mokuba led the way out of the video game room and down the hallway in the direction Kaiba had gone, Kise tucked his hands into his pant pockets, smiling as he continued to admire the sophisticated décor of a place he never thought he would find himself in. It was as if one moment Duel Monsters had been a thing of his past, and the next, all at once, KaibaCorp brings it back into his life, along with the Kaiba brothers themselves.

Who would have thought that Mokuba had followed his basketball career despite being oversees for his studies? He had said that it was mostly due to Kaijo’s new assistant coach who was Mokuba’s good friend for introducing him to their team in particular, but what were the chances of that? And to have met them just weeks after learning of the modeling job for KaibaCorp? And now here he was, spending the night after being able to challenge Seto Kaiba himself to a duel? Kise could hardly believe it. Still, he couldn’t help but hope that he could become good friends with the brothers. Mokuba was a good and caring guy, and according to Mokuba, Kaiba only had one good friend, the King of Games himself as it turned out.

For some reason, Kise _wanted_ to be Kaiba’s friend. Perhaps because from what Mokuba had said, it seemed as if maybe Kaiba could use more than just one close friend and his little brother.

“Here we are,” Mokuba said as they approached one of the many doors along this hallway, before bringing back his hand and knocking against the door.

“Seto?” he called out, and as the two men waited for a moment and no answer came, Mokuba turned the knob and opened the door, peeking inside, and seeing that the lights were off, turned them on.

Mokuba looked inside before turning back to Kise.

“Yeah, he’s definitely in his office. But he won’t mind if you borrow some clothes, I’ll give them to you,” he said, and motioned for Kise to follow him in.

Kise felt a little uneasy about going into Kaiba’s room without his permission. He certainly seemed like the kind to mind very much if a stranger invaded his personal space, and despite having Mokuba’s permission, it still felt wrong that it wasn’t coming directly from the owner. Still, Kise made his way into the room, and was surprised to see a simple room with sparse furnishings.

The walls were plain and white, with the exception of the ceiling that was painted black, with a large low riding bed with a large black backboard in the middle of the room against one wall, and matching black nightstands on both sides and a lamp on each. He had a black dresser to another wall, and a reclining chair that was likely a reading area on the opposite side by a large window. The rest of the room was wide open space. 

While he was busy admiring the room, Mokuba had walked into the large walk-in closet and in no time came out with an extra set of clothes.

“Here, I got you some sweatpants and a t-shirt,” Mokuba said as he handed Kise plain gray sweatpants and white t-shirt.

Kise took them with a smile, mentally hoping Kaiba wouldn’t chew him out for borrowing his clothes without his saying so.

“Ah, thanks Mokubacchi,” he said, looking around the room to see if there was maybe an attached bathroom he could use.

“No problem, just come back to the game room when you’re done changing. I’ll show you the guestroom later. I’ll go change too,” Mokuba said as he walked back to the door, and Kise nodded in understanding.

While it did seem that Kaiba had an attached bathroom, Kise decided he might as well change where he was since no one else was in the room. It would take only a second after all. And with that, Kise took sat on the bed, finding himself sink into what was most definitely memory foam and the softest sheets he had ever laid on, making him practically sigh with pleasure as he rolled onto his side, practically nuzzling the material, both his hands caressing the silky material underneath his fingertips. This was so unfair, no wonder people did awful things for money when luxury meant eating amazing food and sleeping on beds that felt like clouds and water.

After what felt like a few minutes of just enjoying the softness of the bed and sheets, Kise sighed dejectedly as he forced himself to sit up, and finally got to the task of changing.

* * *

Kaiba had just finished some progress on his latest personal project, deciding to call it a night since he needed to make a few calls before he could move ahead, and being so late at night, knew those calls wouldn’t be made today.

He thought about Mokuba and his newest, not to mention unexpected, friend, if he could even call him that. He knew Mokuba was a fan of Kise, but he certainly hadn’t expected to find himself face-to-face with the young man in his own company, only for him to challenge him to a duel. It seemed the basketball prodigy was full of surprises.

Kaiba found himself frowning as he thought back to the three duels they had played. Normally, Kaiba would have never given someone who lost to him a second chance. He had always believed a loser was a loser, and there was no _almost_, or _close enough_. It was all or nothing, good or bad, win or lose. There were no grays with him. It had always just been easier that way. Was he so bored that he had overlooked his ideology and given in to what should have been a petty request from nothing but a loser? Sure, Kise had proven to be a decent duelist by the combos and counters that he had used. He had definitely been no Joey Wheeler when it came to knowing his way around a deck. Was it that it had been that long since he had had a decent duel? That he was willing to replay the same duelist that had just lost to him only because he was _pretty good_?

Kaiba shook his head as if to shake the thoughts from his mind as he made it to his room. He was wasting time overthinking irrelevant things. He had done the kid a favor and that was that.

As he turned the knob and opened the door, his gaze was drawn to the now familiar blonde figure of the person he had just been thinking about, his back towards him, and just in time to see the blonde pull his shirt up his body and over his head, revealing the well-defined and lean muscles of his back. Kaiba’s eyes widened at the unexpected sight, before frowning as he came to the realization that someone was in his room without his permission.

Kise on the other hand, froze when the sound of the door opening reached him, his arms pausing in front of him just as he pulled his t-shirt over his head, and turned his neck to see who it was that had opened the door.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Kaiba’s voice pierced through the air, and Kise felt his heart skip a beat and his cheeks flush as Kaiba glowered in his direction before chuckling nervously.

“Ah, Kaibacchi! Mokubacchi said it was okay to borrow some of your clothes for the night. I thought it would be okay to change here!”

Kaiba’s gaze strayed to the folded clothes in front of Kise on the bed and saw the folded sweatpants and plain shirt that told him Kise was telling the truth. His gaze returned to the shirtless man in front of him who remained frozen in place, trying to avoid looking at the lean and defined abdomen that he caught a glimpse of, and focused on the embarrassed look on Kise’s face instead.

Without a word, Kaiba walked over to his closet, and Kise felt a moment of panic as he entertained the thought of putting his shirt back on and running back to Mokuba, only to see Kaiba step back out, a pair of black sweatpants in his hand that he tossed to him, making Kise yelp as he barely caught the material with his arms still wrapped in his shirt.

“Those pants will fit you better,” he said, making Kise blink at the older man in shock, before a smile formed on his lips and his eyes brightened.

Kaiba swore he could go blind from the look of happiness on Kise’s face.

“Thanks Kaibacchi!”

Kaiba however, only glared at him again.

“Just change and get out.”

Kise only smiled wider, before finally fully taking off his shirt and placing it on the bed beside him as he grabbed the shirt Mokuba had given him, and pulled it over his head. It smelled clean and fresh, and Kise felt refreshed with the soft material against his skin. Without thinking, Kise pulled the collar of the shirt to his nose, breathing in the scent once more before looking over at Kaiba whose gaze was still on him.

“Kaibacchi, your clothes smell really good. Can you do my laundry so it smells like this too?”

Kaiba rolled his eyes.

“I’ll make sure to have my cleaning lady stop by your place,” he answered sarcastically, and Kise grinned, before grabbing the new pair of sweats that Kaiba had tossed him.

“Although I’m sure you’re dying to see me take off my pants, I think I’ll change in your bathroom,” Kise teased, and made sure to look and see Kaiba’s reaction, only to be disappointed by the lack of reaction. Seriously, how could this guy have such a good poker face? He was better than Midorima!

“As if I want to see that,” Kaiba retorted, folding his arms in front of him.

Kise stuck his tongue out childishly.

“I’ll have you know some people would _kill_ for the view!” this time, Kise turned away, and made his way to the bathroom door, not waiting for a response as he closed the door behind him.

_I’m sure they would… _

Kaiba thought to himself, at the same time berating himself for letting his gaze stray to Kise’s backside as he walked away, and for noticing the way his pants hugged him just right in all the right places.

He felt like a dirty old man, taking notice of Kise’s _assets_. But he would also be blind not to see how ridiculously _pretty_ the boy was. Kise Ryota was as attractive as he was talented, and Kaiba berated himself more for the way he could still recall the brief look he had of the boy’s shirtless torso.

_He would be prettier if he wasn’t so loud and obnoxious…_

Not to mention how _blinding_ he was when he smiled. He practically glowed. Kaiba had never met someone who smiled as much as Kise had the entire evening they had spent together, no matter how many sarcastic and cutting remarks Kaiba had made towards him.

Kaiba didn’t have much time to linger on those thoughts, before the door opened once more and Kise walked out. Unfortunately for Kaiba, Kise looked just as good in sweatpants, and Kaiba had to keep himself from thinking inappropriate thoughts about the younger man. 

Kise was surprised to see that Kaiba hadn’t moved from his spot and moved to gather the clothes he had left on his bed before turning to the older man once more.

“Why do you smile so much?” Kaiba didn’t know what made him ask, but the question was out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

Kise blinked, honestly shocked by the seemingly random question, before he rubbed his head and thought about the question.

“Hm. Honestly… I don’t think that I smile all that much,” Kise said after a thoughtful moment, making Kaiba frown.

“That’s ridiculous. You’ve been smiling the entire time you’ve been with us,” Kaiba pointed out.

“Well, that’s because I’ve had fun. I didn’t think I would ever meet you, let alone use your latest duel arena and hang out with you guys! The only thing that could have made this better is if I had actually beat you,” Kise replied with a wink, smiling brightly at Kaiba, and spoke again before Kaiba could reply.

“Kaibacchi, you should come play with Mokubacchi and me, we could make it a mini tournament. I think he would really like to play with you again.”

Kaiba was surprised by Kise’s suggestion, which brought back memories of nights that he and Mokuba had spent playing video games in that room, one of the few happy memories he had from his childhood. Had Mokuba shared that part of their childhood to Kise? It sure sounded like it.

“And lucky for you, I’m not nearly as good at video games as I am in basketball and Duel Monsters, so you’ll have no trouble beating me!”

At this, Kaiba raised an eyebrow, amusement in his blue eyes.

“And this is supposed to be different from our duels today, _how_?” Kaiba asked, smirking when Kise pouted.

“So mean Kaibacchi! I did good and you know it!” he huffed as he also shot a glare at the brunette.

“But seriously, it’s Mokuba’s last night here, we should make it memorable!” Kise added, smiling once more, making Kaiba frown and look away.

“I’ll think about it,” Kaiba finally replied, and Kise beamed before making his way back to the door that would take him back out to the hallway.

“See you soon, Kaibacchi!” Kise said, before closing the door and turning in the direction he _hoped_ would take him back to the game room.

Kaiba glared at the door, hating that Kise had the audacity to think he knew his choice. He hated when people thought they knew him enough to know what his actions would be.

What he hated more though, was the fact that he already knew his decision, and that Kise was right. While he couldn’t promise to join in on their games, Kaiba _did_ want to spend what time he could with his brother. After all, he doubted he would be visiting anytime soon once he went back to his studies.

* * *

“Kaibacchi! No fair, you’re cheating! Mokubacchi, he has to be cheating!” Kise cried out as his character was on the receiving end of an onslaught of a barrage of kicks and punches by Kaiba’s character, completely defenseless despite the button smashing on Kise’s part to try and defend even the slightest against him.

Mokuba on the other hand, only laughed as he watched Kaiba knockout Kise’s character for the second time in a row.

“Sorry Kise, Seto has always been the best in Ketten. Even I have a hard time beating him,” he replied.

Kise pouted as the next round began, and yelped when Kaiba’s character advanced.

“But Mokubacchi! You said Kaibacchi was bad at video games!”

Kaiba made a noise akin to a snort and Mokuba laughed nervously.

“Well, he sucks at pretty much every game _except_ Ketten, FPS’s, and MOBA’s.”

Kise blinked. So he wasn’t bad at all… which should be expected from the CEO of a gaming company. Still, how did Kaiba have time to even play games when he was running a company?

“Oh, and Super Marlo,” Mokuba added, almost as if in afterthought.

At that, Kise couldn’t help but laugh even as his character was once more knocked out while Kaiba’s character remained with perfect health.

“Kaibacchi? Rescuing a princess from a castle and jumping on turtles? Now _that_ I have to see!”

Kise passed the remote to Mokuba, who eagerly took it from him and returned to the main screen where he chose his favorite character while Kaiba chose a different character than the one he had used against Kise.

“Well, too bad you’ll never get to,” Kaiba replied, and Kise couldn’t help but notice how Kaiba straightened when the match against Mokuba began, and he seriously doubted he had looked that focused while he had fought against Kise.

Kise whistled when the match began and Kaiba and Mokuba were evenly matched. Both players stopped talking and focused on the battle in front of them, each doing a good job of blocking each other’s attack, both their defenses impenetrable as they traded attacks.

The first to land a hit was Kaiba, who managed to land a decent combo that depleted Mokuba’s health bar by a quarter, only for Mokuba to retaliate with an even better combo that took half of Kaiba’s health away, making Kise yelp in excitement for the younger brother. Still, it looked like Kaiba was having none of it, executing a perfect jump over Mokuba’s character and blindsiding him, delivering another combo and a special attack that managed to knock out Mokuba’s character, making the younger brother groan.

Kise couldn’t help but look on intently as the brothers faced off, and Mokuba managed to barely win the next two rounds, hooting in excitement each time that he bested his brother. Kise couldn’t help but look at their faces, and was surprised to see a small grin on Kaiba’s face as they began the fourth round, which Kaiba managed to win by a good margin.

“Alright big bro, last round! May the best player win!” Mokuba said, making a show of squaring his shoulders and adjusting his grip on the controller as the countdown began.

Both brothers were fairly cautious the last round, trying to bait an opening from the other player, until finally it looked as if both advanced at the same time, Mokuba going for an attack just a split second too early, enough for Kaiba to retaliate against him and land the first combo. Mokuba groaned aloud and went on the defensive, managing to break Kaiba’s combo and landing his own that did substantial damage, and while Kaiba managed to recover and both players went on the defensive again, Kise decided to watch Kaiba’s face, which he was able to see easily as he had sat down on one of the couches perpendicular to where Kise and Mokuba were sitting on the floor. And it was because he was watching Kaiba’s face that he saw something he would have missed otherwise.

Kise watched as Mokuba laughed at the mocking gesture his character made to Kaiba’s character, and saw how Kaiba’s gaze was drawn to the sound. Kise watched as Kaiba’s blue eyes softened ever so slightly at the sight of his brother laughing, before it returned to the screen where their match was taking place. And Kise knew, without a doubt, that when Mokuba managed to find an opening in Kaiba’s defense and land a combo big enough to knockout Kaiba’s character and win the match, that Kaiba had let him do it.

“Woo Mokubacchi! The reigning champion!” Kise cheered on, raising Mokuba’s arm that was closest to him up into the air like a wrestler after a win, making Mokuba laugh alongside him.

“How do you like that, big bro?!” Mokuba taunted, a huge grin on his face.

Kaiba set the controller down beside him, only to cross his arms and grin.

“You got lucky,” he replied.

“Luck had nothing to do with it!” Mokuba replied, and Kise was right behind him.

Who would have thought, that the great Seto Kaiba would lose a game on purpose just to make his brother happy? It made Kise smile even wider when Mokuba demanded a rematch and Kaiba made a show of not wanting to before giving in and picking up the remote again.

Who would have thought that the so called heartless Seto Kaiba was such a good brother?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmmm. Kise is really pretty isn't he? How can Kaiba not appreciate him.


	13. The Challenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kise really likes cheesecake.

Kaiba found them just as he had left them the night before.

Mokuba and Kise each sprawled out on different couches, Mokuba facing the back of the couch and snoring lightly while Kise lay on his stomach, his arm and leg practically falling off the edge of the couch, a small throw blanket draped over each of them.

Kaiba had left halfway through a movie they insisted on watching, after both had fallen asleep late into the night, when both were too tired to stay awake but not quite ready to call it a night. They only managed to stay awake through one whole movie, and Kise was the first to fall asleep during the second, probably because he had been up so early in order to visit them.

_“We should hang out with Kise again, don’t you think Seto?”_ Mokuba had asked when he noticed Kise had fallen asleep.

Kaiba remembered looking over at the blonde, and for the first time was able to see his face without a blinding smile and bright eyes. He was able to take in the relaxed state, the sharp angles, high cheekbones, the defined nose, and long lashes. Even asleep, Kise Ryota was attractive.

_“Hn,”_ had been his only reply.

Now, it was time for the sleeping figures to wake up and get ready for the day. Kise had to go home, Mokuba had to go back to his studies, and Kaiba had to prepare to go back to work.

So, being the pleasant person he was, grabbed one of the pillows from the foot of Mokuba’s coach, only to toss it in Kise’s direction.

As soon as the decorative pillow hit Kise in the back of his head, he shot up from the coach, yelping and almost falling off the couch as he looked around to see what had hit him, confusion and sleep still in his eyes as he blinked and tried to remember where he was. He felt a moment of panic when he didn’t immediately recognize being in his room, before his gaze settled on the standing figure in the room, and recognizing the imposing figure of Kaiba, remembered just where he had spent the night.

Kise blinked against the grogginess he felt, rubbing his eyes and letting out a yawn.

“Good morning, Kaibacchi… did you throw something at me?” Kise asked.

“It’s late. You should get up and wake up Mokuba. You’re welcome to shower in one of the guest room bathrooms, and breakfast will be ready downstairs once you’re done.”

Kaiba didn’t wait for a response, only turned and walked out of the room, leaving Kise blinking as he tried to process what Kaiba had just said.

Kise stretched, before looking over to where Mokuba was still sleeping, noticing the blanket that had been placed over him and the similar blanket over Mokuba. He didn’t remember getting a blanket… had Mokuba gotten those blankets? Or could it have been Kaiba?

It was hard to picture Kaiba being thoughtful enough to get them blankets, but without thinking too much on the subject, Kise set to do as Kaiba asked, and moved to wake up Mokuba and ask him which bathroom he could use to shower and change.

* * *

As Kaiba sat at the head of the dining room table drinking from his coffee mug, he busied himself with reading the latest news that affected him and his company, but saw nothing that concerned him.

“Kaibacchi,” a now familiar voice called out, and Kaiba looked up from his computer to the sight of Kise walking into the room, hair darker and still wet from the shower he must have just finished. He had changed into his clothes from the day before.

“Do you know where Mokuba put my cheesecake last night? I’m really craving it right now,” Kise asked, and Kaiba raised an eyebrow.

“Cheesecake before breakfast?” he asked.

Kise smiled.

“I don’t see why not! It is _really_ good cheesecake,” he said, looking hopeful as he looked at Kaiba.

Kaiba motioned to the arched opening in the wall that led to the adjacent room.

“Check the fridge there,” he said, and Kise brightened before following his instructions.

It didn’t take long before Kise returned, the familiar box that had been given to him the night before on one hand and a fork in the other, before sitting down to the left of Kaiba, opening up the box with the dessert and using the fork he had helped himself to from the kitchen to dig in for the first bite.

The creamy dessert practically melted in Kise’s mouth, and as the flavor assaulted him, Kise couldn’t help but moan at just how delicious it tasted.

Distracted by the sound, Kaiba glanced up to look at him, trying not to stare as Kise savored the dessert and whose face lit up with each small bite that he took. Kaiba narrowed his eyes.

“Is it really that good?” he asked, and Kise paused mid-bite, looking over and blinking at Kaiba, before nodding.

“Yeah! Do you wanna try some?” Kise asked enthusiastically, pointing his fork with a piece of cheesecake towards Kaiba.

“No thanks, I’ll take your word for it,” Kaiba replied, before returning to his computer screen.

Kise on the other hand, frowned.

“C’mon Kaibacchi!” he whined, “You shouldn’t deny the worlds delicacies when they’re right in front of you.”

Kaiba didn’t even spare Kise a glance as he typed something into his computer, and Kise, hating to be ignored, huffed.

_Fine, we’ll do this the hard way…_ Kise thought to himself, a sly smirk forming on his lips as an idea popped into his head.

“_Kaibacchi_,” this time, Kise’s tone was much different. It was softer, with a sing-song quality, bordering on seductive, making Kaiba snap his eyes towards him.

He wasn’t ready for the look on Kise’s face. The look on his face was one that Kaiba was used to seeing in the bedroom, with inviting and half-hooded eyes. He was also leaning forward over the table, holding out the fork towards the young CEO.

“It’s really, _really_ good,” Kise added, voice husky, pushing the fork even closer to Kaiba, who had to remind himself that he should not be swayed by that look on Kise’s face or the sound of his voice, no matter how tempting he found it to lean over and push the blonde onto the table, only to _really_ show him the best way to eat desserts.

Kise thought he saw a flash of something in Kaiba’s eyes that made him think he might relent, only for his blue eyes to return to their usual icy stare.

Kaiba glared at the young and too attractive man, forcing himself to look away from him and back to his laptop.

“I’ll pass,” he said, and Kise deflated, but not quite to the point of giving up.

“Okay then, how about a game?” Kise asked, and once more, Kaiba looked up with mild interest, giving Kise his cue to continue.

“How about a simple game of rock, paper, scissors, and if you win, I’ll leave you alone. But if I win, you have to taste the cheesecake?” Kise explained, a glint in his eyes as Kaiba stared back at him.

Kaiba knew he shouldn’t indulge him. But somehow, Kise knew exactly what to do to lure him in. Kaiba was never one to turn his back on a challenge, no matter how small and petty. He refused to let people have the upper hand.

“Fine.”

Kise grinned, and put down the fork and dessert in order to focus on Kaiba, who also set aside his laptop for the time being, and turned to Kise as he made himself comfortable enough to play the game.

“How does best out of five sound?” Kise asked, and Kaiba glared.

“Makes no difference to me,” he replied.

It wasn’t as if this game took any real skill, which although it bothered Kaiba, still wasn’t enough to have him back down.

Kise readied his hands, and Kaiba sighed as he did the same, already regretting letting Kise talk him into such a pointless game.

“Alright, here we go…” Kise said, “Rock…”

“Paper…”

While Kise tapped his fist against his open palm, Kaiba didn’t repeat the words and only mimicked Kise’s movement as he waited on Kise to call out the final word.

“Scissors!”

Both Kise and Kaiba chose paper, but little did Kaiba know what Kise had a trick up his sleeve.

In the end, Kise used a simpler version of his copy of Emperor Eye to beat Kaiba, and whooped in victory when he chose rock and Kaiba chose scissors for their deciding round.

“I win Kaibacchi!” Kise gloated, clapping his hands together grinning widely.

Kaiba glared.

“Whatever, it’s not like this game takes actual skill,” Kaiba said, and Kise chose not to tell Kaiba about his little trick. Either way, a victory over Seto Kaiba was not to be taken lightly.

That being said, Kise grabbed ahold of the fork he had set down and once more brought the piece of cheesecake towards Kaiba, taking the time to grab a little more than the small bites Kise had been taking.

Kaiba glared and sighed as Kise leaned forward, bringing the fork closer.

“I can eat it by myself,” he cut in, and Kise only smirked.

“Ah, too bad I’m already here,” Kise said as the fork stopped just before Kaiba’s lips.

The young CEO glared defiantly at Kise, who chuckled lightly as he brought the fork even closer.

“C’mon Kaibacchi, say _ahhh_,” Kise coaxed, making Kaiba glare even harder, “You should know by now I can do this all day.”

Somehow knowing that Kise was right, Kaiba sighed before relenting. He had never been fed anything in his life as far as he could remember, but it was probably better to just get it over with than risk getting cheesecake on his face if he struggled against Kise’s antics.

With that logical decision in mind, Kaiba opened his mouth to wrap his lips around the fork and piece of cheesecake on it, pulling away slowly as he took the dessert into his mouth.

Kise on the other hand, felt his heart skip a beat as he watched Kaiba eat from his outstretched fork. In truth, he hadn’t expected Kaiba to actually let him feed him the dessert, and even less to look him straight in the eye as he took the piece into his mouth. Kise felt his blood pump behind his cheeks as he watched Kaiba’s lips wrap around the fork, so leisurely that Kise wondered if he was taking his time to savor the flavor or to purposely make Kise feel warm from the piercing look in his eyes.

_An indirect kiss…_

Even though Kise had always known that Kaiba was attractive, in that very moment, he looked more delicious than the cheesecake itself, and Kise momentarily forgot how to breathe.

Kaiba chewed the dessert slowly, savoring the sweetness and the way it dissolved in his mouth. Yet despite the pleasing taste, Kaiba couldn’t help but focus on Kise’s face as he savored it. For once, Kise wasn’t blinding him with a smile, rather, he looked… focused? As if he was fully concentrated on Kaiba’s reaction to the dessert. At the same time, Kaiba couldn’t help but entertain the thought of what it might be like to use the remainder of the cheesecake for other purposes that still included the two of them…

Finally swallowing, Kaiba licked his lips, not missing the way Kise’s gaze darted to his tongue.

“It’s good,” Kaiba said, and Kise blinked, as if brought out of a spell by the sound of Kaiba’s voice.

Kise’s brow furrowed, only for him to put down the fork on the table, and when his hand slowly darted in Kaiba’s direction, Kaiba’s own hand came to intercept him just before Kise could reach for his face, his hand wrapping around Kise’s wrist as his own eyes narrowed.

“What are you doing?” Kaiba asked, voice clipped.

Kise only blinked.

“There’s some cheesecake on you…” he replied casually, and for some reason, Kaiba’s grip on Kise’s wrist loosened but didn’t let go, and Kise focused on the speck of white under Kaiba’s bottom lip, only to close the distance with his thumb and slowly swipe at the stray piece of dessert.

At the touch, Kaiba felt himself tense when a sharp and familiar trill traveled down his spine, making him feel warm as his gaze focused on Kise, whose gaze was on his lips as his own hand tightened around Kise’s wrist, holding him in place.

Kise’s golden eyes darted to meet his own, and as his lips parted, Kaiba could see a burning in his eyes that made his grip on him tighten even more.

“Kaibacchi?” Kise asked softly, and Kaiba found his own eyes travel to the younger man’s lips as he said his name, before looking back to his eyes and face as it seemed to get closer.

Kaiba drew in a sharp breath, not willing to move back from the approaching figure.

“Sorry I took so long!”

Kaiba let go of Kise, who jumped away faster than he ever had at the sound of Mokuba’s voice coming into the room, making the cheesecake and fork clatter to the floor as blood rushed to his face and he looked in the direction of the entrance to the dining room.

Relief flooded his system when he saw that Mokuba was holding a towel in front of as him as he dried his hair, the fabric curtain keeping the other two occupants hidden from his sight that caused him to miss Kise’s behavior.

“Is breakfast ready?” Mokuba asked as he placed the towel around his shoulder and smiled at his brother and Kise, only to see that Kise had bent down to the ground to pick something up.

“What happened?” Mokuba asked.

Kise chuckled nervously from his place on the ground.

“Ah, I just dropped my cheesecake! No biggie Mokubacchi!” he called out, not turning to look at the older man as he used the fork to pick up the pieces of cheesecake from the ground.

Mokuba blinked.

“Do you need help?” he offered.

“Oh no it’s okay! It was my fault, I’ll get it! I just need some napkins” Kise replied in a flurry, picking up the box with ruined cheesecake and rushing to the adjoining kitchen.

Mokuba only made his way over to sit next to his brother, who was now looking intently at his computer as he usually did in the mornings.

“Morning Seto,” Mokuba said as he sat down.

“Morning.”

Mokuba looked around.

“Where’s breakfast?” Mokuba asked, remembering how his stomach had growled earlier.

“It should be ready in a few minutes,” Kaiba answered and Mokuba nodded.

Their food was usually cooked in a separate and bigger kitchen then the one next to this room as this kitchen was more of a snack storage for them after all.

* * *

From the other room, Kise was trying to wrap his mind around just what had happened.

His face still felt hot, his heart was still pounding in his chest, and he could still feel a burning and tingling around the wrist that Kaiba had grabbed.

_Did I… did we… almost…?_

Kise felt his heart speed up as he replayed the scenario in his head, as he remembered the burning look in Kaiba’s eyes, the way he had looked at his lips as his hand tightened on his wrist.

Yeah, there was no doubt in Kise’s mind that if Mokuba hadn’t walked in when he did, Kise would have tried to lean in and kiss _the_ Seto Kaiba.

The biggest question was… would Kaiba had let him?

Kise wanted to say yes. After all, anyone else would have already pushed him away and been freaked out by Kise’s advances. Kise was used to being pushed away. In fact, one of the reasons he found it so easy to tease his friends was because he knew they would just push him away knowing he wasn’t serious.

He had thought Kaiba would do the same, but he hadn’t.

He had let Kise keep going as if to see just how far Kise would go.

Kise resisted the urge to groan.

Why did Seto Kaiba have to be so damn handsome? How was he going to be able to sit through breakfast with him without getting turned on from thinking about what could have happened every time he put something into his mouth?

Worse yet, not only did Kise have his hopes up that maybe Kaiba found him attractive enough to let him kiss him, but he would have to go back home after breakfast, and he doubted they would have a similar opportunity like this one now that Mokuba was in the picture.

What was he going to do?

In that moment, Kise smelled the delicious aroma of food waft into his room, and the sound of plates and utensils being set and arranged on the table.

“Kise, food is ready!” Mokuba called out.

Kise took in a shuddering breath, took one last look at the remains of the delicious cheesecake, and made a silent promise to himself that he wouldn’t let the cheesecake’s sacrifice be in vain.

He would get that kiss from Seto Kaiba.

One way or another.

* * *

Breakfast had been as tough as Kise thought it would be. He had sat across Mokuba and next to Kaiba at the head, and while the food had been delicious and plentiful, he couldn’t help but sneak glances at Kaiba, who seemed adamant on ignoring Kise unless he asked him a direct question.

Kise already knew his train schedule, and it wouldn’t give him very much extra time after breakfast. Mokuba had already informed their driver who would be dropping them off, and Kise wasn’t even sure if Kaiba would also accompany them.

Still, Kise was overall disappointed that their time was coming to an end. From the sounds of it, it would be months before Mokuba returned, and the two had really connected during his time back. He would have liked to take another trip to Domino and enjoy what else the city had to offer, not to mention, he would really like to take a trip to the game store of the King of Games himself. And he doubted Kaiba would be willing to take him around town the way Mokuba would have. He was running a multi-billion company, and had no time to take him on a tour.

Sure, the marketing campaign and his chance to represent KaibaCorp was still an opportunity, but there was no guarantee that Kise would be picked, and if he didn’t do something, this could very well be the last time Kise would be in the presence of the Kaiba brothers.

“Oh Kise, when is your next game?” Mokuba asked, bringing Kise out of his thoughts as he thought about Mokuba’s question instead.

“Hm… well we have a match this coming week, but it’s not against one of the power houses, so I’m not really worried.”

Mokuba nodded, finding Kise's confidence endearing rather than off putting, the way Kise spoke making the difference.

“What do you do to train?”

“Well, I run almost every day, and we have practice after school and try to do as many morning practices too, and weekend practices at least twice a month. We also try to set up practice matches against other schools, and have sport camps that are the absolute worst. I don’t think I’ve ever gone to a camp where I didn’t throw up at least once,” Kise grimaced just thinking about it, and even though the practices were brutal, they were also fond memories with his teammates.

“Wow, that sounds pretty intense,” Mokuba commented, and Kise nodded.

“Do you think you’ll manage to come to another of my matches?” Kise asked hopefully, and even Kaiba seemed interested in Mokuba’s answer as he glanced in his direction.

Mokuba grinned.

“I would like to. But it might be a little hard. I might try to make it for the Inter-High though, since it’ll be one of the last tournaments with the Generation of Miracles,” he said, and Kise brightened.

“That would be awesome!” Kise exclaimed, then looked to Kaiba.

“Will you come too, Kaibacchi?” Kise asked, resisting the urge to shiver when Kaiba’s blue eyes settled on him.

“Only if Mokuba drags me along with him.”

Kise would take it.

* * *

They were on their way to drop Kise off at the train station, and Kise was both pleased and surprised when Kaiba joined them, although he made it be known he was only doing it because he and Mokuba had plans in the city before Mokuba had to be dropped off at the airport. Kise also learned that even if Mokuba left later in the day, when he went back to America, it would actually be morning of the same day by the time he landed, so he was practically going back in time!

Kise would have loved to stay and see Mokuba off as well, but his trip home was long and train schedules only ran for so long that it was best for him to leave early. Not to mention he still had homework and studying to do before he went back to school the next day.

“It’s been really fun this weekend Mokubacchi, Kaibacchi, thank you for having me,” Kise said as they neared the train station.

Mokuba nodded, and Kaiba did little to acknowledge he even heard.

Unfortunately for Kise, he had been right to think that they wouldn’t have an opportunity like the one they had earlier, and so far he didn’t see his luck changing.

“I agree, I’m glad you were able to make it, and I hope giving you an idea of what we do helped you think about your future. Not to mention, you’re an amazing duelist! I think it would be great to have another weekend like this,” Mokuba replied with an excited smile which Kise mirrored.

“I would love that! Neh, Kaibacchi…” Kise said tentatively, looking over at the young CEO who sat with his arms crossed as he looked out the window, who glanced in his direction at the sound of his nickname, a feat that Kise acknowledged in silence.

“Can we trade contact information? I want to be able to contact you for another duel once I upgrade my deck,” it was the most obvious excuse Kise could think of, the only one he thought might even have a chance of success when it came to Seto Kaiba.

Because unfortunately, _can I have your phone number so I can stay in contact with you and hopefully seduce you_, would not have been tactful _or_ appropriate, and if Kise had learned anything, it was that Kaiba only responded to challenges. And even though seducing him was a challenge for _Kise_, he doubted Kaiba would think of it the same way.

Kaiba for his part, looked at Kise with his usual stoic and unreadable demeanor.

After the morning they had, it was hard to know whether Kise’s motives could be taken at face value. The moment between then had been… unexpected… and Kaiba had been surprised to find himself so easily taken in by his attractiveness. It really had been too long since he had satisfied his carnal desires if he was so easily drawn in by Kise’s pretty looks.

Then again, pretty looks was all Kaiba cared for in his partners. He never cared for any talents or personality traits so long as they were tolerable enough to spend a night with, so long as they were able to satisfy him and not ask anything else of him.

And after confirming that Kise was indeed interested in him, it normally wouldn’t have taken Kaiba long to make his own advances.

Unfortunately, there was one problem.

Kise was young, maybe _too_ young. And although Kaiba was hardly old by any measure, Kise was in _high school, _which put him right at the border of being underage and of legal age, and quite frankly, right now was not the time to ask him his age. If he was underage however, then it would be a dangerous move for Kaiba to make any kind of advances on the boy. He had too much to lose from a scandal of that sort, and he had worked too hard to jeopardize his career over a simple lay, no matter how attractive the boy.

Which meant the logical response was to say no to Kise’s request.

He should not set himself up for any future trouble that could be invited by staying in contact with someone he clearly felt an attraction to that posed a threat to his livelihood.

Not to mention, Kaiba never gave out his personal contact information. The only ones who could say they willingly got it was Mokuba and Yugi. Everyone else had to have the resources to somehow get ahold of his information.

And while that thought had never bothered Kaiba before, as he thought back to the years since Mokuba had left, and the lack of personal interactions he had, Kaiba had never been more aware of the lack of people in his life that weren’t work related. The people he had gone to high school with and dueled evil forces with had all but scattered, each finding their own calling, and none that Kaiba had really connected to.

He was in a rut.

Maybe… a new face could break that.

Maybe, he already had.

After all, Kaiba couldn’t even remember the last time someone had garnered his respect when it came to something beyond duel monsters. Kise’s basketball skill had caught his attention in a way nothing had in a long time, in a way he didn’t think a sport could. His skills had turned an ordinary game into something extraordinary, not a feat easily achievable for someone of Kaiba’s standards. Not only that, he couldn’t remember the last duel he had, the last few years of the franchises decline and other projects making sure of that, only for a more than competent duelist to show up when he least expected it. Someone that even his little brother seemed fond of.

Kaiba sighed. 

“Fine, but don’t think it’ll make a difference.”

And Kaiba knew, in the way that Kise’s golden eyes brightened and his smile widened, that he would regret this decision.

He just didn’t yet know how.


	14. Restless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kise is restless. Kaiba learns something new.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess I should disclose possible spoiler alert?
> 
> SPOILER ALERT: If you haven't seen Last Game KnB movie, there are spoilers in this chapter. 
> 
> But seriously... if you haven's seen this movie... what are you waiting for?? Go watch it!!! It's so good! I've seen it so many times lmao.

* * *

Kise was restless.

There was no better word to describe his feelings since the day he left Domino City.

And it was easy to know why.

In the three days that had passed, his eyes had been drawn to his phone more than usual. And not to check his social media accounts, group chats, basketball schedule, or news of any kind.

The simple reason he couldn’t help but itch for his phone in a way he hadn’t in a long time was simple; the only thing that had changed in those three days, or rather the only new contact in his phone.

Tall, rich, and handsome…

Seto Kaiba.

Or Kaibacchi as he had him listed in his contacts.

For the umpteenth time, Kise sighed as he tapped his pencil against his thigh from his seat in his desk. Thankfully it was his last class of the day, before he was off to basketball practice, and the same question that had plagued Kise for the past three days floated through his mind.

The first time that Kise had met Kaiba, when they spoke in the courtyard of his high school, and Kise had asked him if he had made him a fan, Kaiba had said to ask him after his _next_ game, which happened to be in two days’ time.

Kise wanted nothing more than to text Kaiba and remind him of the fact, if only for a reason to see him again.

He had constantly hounded his manager for updates on the modeling job for KaibaCorp, only for Anami to sigh and tell him that they had submitted their part and it was still a waiting game, and that she would let him know as soon as she knew.

Why was it taking so long? What if they had already filled the slots? What if Kise hadn’t made the cut?

And while Kise tried to remind himself that if that was the case, they would have at least sent a rejection letter, it did little to make him feel better about the possibility of failing.

Sure, he could probably _ask_ Kaiba or Mokuba to give him a shot in the campaign… but asking for a favor by the CEO or his little brother wouldn’t sit well with his pride. Kise wanted to fail or make it on his own, without any help from anyone. If he couldn’t make it by himself, then he didn’t deserve to work under KaibaCorp.

_DING DONG DING_

As the final bell sounded, and the students began to pack up their things, Kise lingered, taking out his phone and placing it front of him, only to stare at it with an intensity that gave pause to anyone watching him, before tapping his fingers against the desk and letting out a sigh.

He should just do it.

What did he have to lose?

Either Kaiba would say yes, although doubtful, he would say no, understandable, or he wouldn’t text him at all, also understandable from a man running a large company of that caliber.

Either way, it had to be better than letting the question hang over him, making him as restless as he was.

“Alright!” Kise mumbled to himself, feeling a burst of determination, and grabbing ahold of his phone and opening up his contacts, only hovering over Kaiba’s contact information for a moment before opening a new message.

** _15:04_ **

** _Kaibacccchhiiiii. Remember how you said you would tell me if I made you my fan after my next game? Well my next game is in two days, so I think you should go through with your word and come! =^~^=_ **

Kise forced himself to send the message right away before he changed his mind, and rather than get up and make his way to the gym, he simply sat and stared at his phone.

After what felt like an eternity, Kise groaned, and dropped his head on his arms.

“What am I doing? There’s no way Kaibacchi would text back right away… he’s probably too busy and at work still…” Kise mumbled to himself.

After all, as Mokuba had told him, all his brother _did_ was work, very much late into the night. The only reason he had even gone to his game against Touo was because Mokuba had brought him, and now that Mokuba was back overseas, Kaiba really had no reason to go out of his way to come see Kise play.

It was a stupid idea.

With a sigh, Kise finally packed up his things and got up from his desk, before making his way to the gym, trying to lift his mood for the onslaught of fans that were probably waiting for him outside. Not to mention, if he was late, he would really hear it from their captain.

* * *

Kaiba was in his office when his phone beeped to let him know he had a message.

The only person who ever texted him was Mokuba, so he was surprised when he opened the message to see an unknown number and a message from the only person that called him _Kaibacchi_.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at the message, processing the request before placing the phone back down beside the keyboard.

His initial response should have been to just ignore the message. No matter what he said to Kise that day after the match he had seen, Kaiba was under no obligation to indulge his request. Not to mention, he was busy. Now that he was back at work, he had more to look over, things to give his final approval for, and certain changes he deemed necessary.

While he had been right to confide in his employees to handle the work while he was away, there were things only he could do. Such as attend certain meetings with possible partners that would be required of him for the next few weeks while the marketing campaign for his Duel Monster was still being finalized.

Not to mention, a part of him still berated himself for even giving Kise his number, the part that instinctively knew that it was a dangerous move on his part. Still, the other part of him was confident that he could maintain their relationship as acquaintances, if only for his brother’s sake. Mokuba had really taken a liking to the boy, and he seemed to want to remain in contact with him despite the distance if at least to see his games. And while Kaiba would only ever admit it to anyone but himself, he was willing to snatch any opportunity to spend time with his brother.

And as if to remind him of his busy schedule, a familiar beep from his computer told him he had a new email, and as he clicked on the pop-up box on the lower right corner of the screen, Kaiba first skimmed the title of the new email. It read; _Final List of Candidates_ _and Audition Slots_.

And while part of Kaiba would have liked to leave this part to his employees, an even larger part of him wanted to make sure he approved of the list and knew enough about each candidate. While Kaiba didn’t particularly follow popular media where idols or models were involved, past experiences had taught him to be wary of those representing his brand, and whether they might have a troubled past that might pose a threat to his event. The last time someone had slipped through his security, it had only been his and Mokuba’s quick acting that saved his company.

With that thought in mind, he scrolled to the body of the email, and opened the attachment of the Extel sheet that contained the list of said candidates. The list itself was organized into time slots that showed the audition process would be in two weeks’ time, and in several blocks.

As Kaiba read through the names, only a few sounded vaguely familiar, perhaps names he remembered from Mokuba or the news and articles he read, but none that he could place a face to by name alone. Thankfully, his staff had thought to attach pictures of the idols, which would help him recall the name if he were to ever personally come across one of them.

They were all young, as he had asked his staff to focus on, since after all it was the younger demographics that they were trying to attract. They also ranged from various industries; music, social media figures, actors, and models.

Kaiba didn’t expect to recognize anyone from this list, so when he read a familiar name, his eyes narrowed. The picture attached to the name left no doubt that he had read the name correctly, and Kaiba wasn’t quite sure how he felt at the sight. Certainly, it came as a surprise… although in hindsight, perhaps it shouldn’t have. The person of interest certainly had the looks, and the fashion for it. Perhaps what didn’t quite sit well with him was the fact that they hadn’t thought to bring it up despite having several opportunities to do so, and Kaiba could only wonder why that was.

Kaiba couldn’t help but grin as his gaze strayed back to his phone, and the text still opened on the screen.

Kise Ryota…

Just how many surprises did he have up his sleeves?

Kaiba sighed and closed his eyes, leaning his head against his fist.

It seemed trying to put this boy out of his mind would be harder than he had thought, if he continued to pop up where he least expected it. It wasn’t like Kaiba to easily acknowledge someone. But it was hard to deny that once again Kise Ryota had shown himself to be quite the talent. Basketball prodigy, decent duelist, and what now appeared to be a popular model figure.

Against his better judgement, Kaiba found himself opening up the search engine on his computer and typing in Kise Ryota’s name. Various links immediately populated, ranging from his social media sites to magazine appearances, basketball articles, fan sites and blogs. His social media revealed that he was popular by the sheer number of followers he had. Most of his posts included advertising the magazines he was showcased in, mundane tasks like what he ate, and a few statuses about his basketball practices and games, and pictures of himself featuring various clothing and accessories most likely sponsored to him. 

His search also revealed the question Kaiba had but had avoided when it came to the blonde pretty boy. Several sources confirmed that his birthday was in June, and currently he was seventeen. That meant that it was only a little over a month before Kise turned eighteen. Before his thoughts could trail down that road however, Kaiba forced himself to look at the next link, which was a blog that spoke of an “ultimate basketball match” by the Generation of Miracles.

Intrigued, Kaiba read the article, which spoke of the combined force of the basketball prodigies against a team from America. The writer was clearly impressed and included the link to official footage recorded of the game. It seemed that the basketball prodigies had joined forces in a team dubbed “Vorpal Swords” against the American team “Jabberwock”. Kaiba had to appreciate the literary references as he clicked on the video.

And before long, it proved that Mokuba’s admiration of these basketball prodigies had proven to be warranted. Despite the screen that separated him from the court, Kaiba could immediately feel the intensity of this game. It was much like the game he had seen with Kise and the rival school, but rather than only the ace standing out, _every_ player stood out. While Kise and the dark-skinned boy were the only ones he recognized, it was obvious that each additional player was talented in their own way. It seemed as if both teams were evenly matched, neither giving way and both teams scoring.

It was easy to see from their plays that they had once been teammates as Mokuba had explained. Their teamwork was seamless, each player seeming to know exactly what to do and where to be in order to pass the ball and score.

Kaiba immediately noticed that Kise’s hair was different during this time, much shorter than he currently kept it. It made him looks slightly more mature, and his features sharper and more masculine. He also noticed how _happy_ Kise seemed during this game. Kaiba also found himself surprised to see that Kise seemed particularly good at teaming up with the dark-skinned boy named Aomine that he had seen him play against, and the air between them was completely different than it had been at the match he had seen. The way they fist bumped and smiled at each other made Kaiba frown in confusion. It was hard to believe that these two players that had gone so fiercely at each other could also be so friendly and supportive when on the same team.

Kaiba watched intently as the tables seemed to turn in favor of the American team, where it seemed they had been holding back in the beginning and making it harder for the Vorpal Swords to keep up. And it was then that Kaiba saw each individual player shine, each seeming to bring forth the most of their talent to slowly close the gap between their scores. And Kaiba saw just what Kise Ryota was capable of.

He saw the full potential of his Perfect Copy and watched in fascination as Kise went into what the announcer called “the zone”, and Kise practically dominated the court, as no other player could touch him for those few minutes. It was like watching a wild exotic cat on the height of its hunt. Every movement he made was fluid and perfectly executed, his eyes so focused that nothing got by him and no one could stand up to him as he scored point after point. Only for Kise to fall to his knees when he reached his limit.

Thanks to the camera angle, he was able to see the anguish and disappointment on Kise’s face and watched as the red head he now knew to be Akashi Seijuro helped him to the bench where it appeared Kise would remain for the rest of the game.

Kaiba could only imagine what toll that kind of ability had on Kise’s body. To be able to copy all the talents of known prodigies could not be easy, and for Kise to be able to manage to do it so effectively on the court. In that moment, Kise had no doubt been the strongest player on the court, and even though Kise wouldn’t be able to play for the remainder of the game, Kaiba couldn’t help but once more admire his talent.

In the end, Vorpal Swords managed to win, and Kaiba was able to see Akashi Seijuro’s superb leadership skills and decision making when it came to the formidable American team and the unexpected play by a blue-haired player. All in all, it was a game Kaiba almost wished he had seen in person.

As the video ended, Kaiba closed the window, cursing the fact that he had just spent over an hour of his time on the very boy he had told himself to avoid when he should have been working.

Kaiba sighed once more and tapped his fingers on his desk, his eyes straying to his phone before shaking his head and returning to the program he was currently working on.

There was a time for everything, and now was not the time to indulge a high-school boy, no matter how pretty and talented he was.

* * *

Kise sighed as he lay in bed, his wet hair laying on a towel behind his head to keep from soaking the pillow underneath, and his phone suspended in the air above his face.

Kise tried to keep from pouting as he frowned at his phone.

“He didn’t text back…”

It was almost midnight, Kise finally settling in for the night after finishing what he could of his homework, not that he really tried, but he had to at least keep up his grades so he could stay on the basketball team and not look too stupid for any prospective colleges he might want to go to.

He knew he shouldn’t have gotten his hopes up, but it was still disappointing to see that Kaiba hadn’t texted him back despite the late hour. While he wouldn’t put it past Kaiba to still be working so late, he really didn’t expect him to take the time to reply to his message.

Kise placed his phone down beside him on the bed and closed his eyes, suddenly feeling too tired to get up and finish drying his hair so it wouldn’t look like a bird’s nest in the morning like he knew it would if he slept on it while wet.

“I’ll just rest my eyes for a few minutes…”

Just as Kise was beginning to doze off, he felt his phone vibrate and his eyes immediately shot open and his hand moved to grab his phone as he turned over, his fatigue forgotten as his heart skipped a beat in excitement.

He knew exactly what he hoped he would see on his phone, he hoped to see the name of the person he had been thinking about nonstop for the past few days.

As he unlocked his phone and looked at the screen however, the text box read a different name, and Kise was surprised to feel disappointed despite exactly who had messaged him.

It was the first time he could say that he received a message from Aomine and was disappointed by the fact. Usually when Aomine texted him his heart did a pitter patter with a mix of dread and hope all rolled into one. Dread that the man he still had feelings for reached out for him, and hope that maybe he would tell him something that would make their breakup easier to understand. 

This time however, the reason he felt his heart sink was because Aomine was not the one he wanted to see the text from. He had wanted to see Kaiba’s name on his screen, and a part of Kise couldn’t help but laugh at the situation, his disappointment ebbing slightly as he finally read the text.

** _Aominecchi 00:07_ **

** _Hey, when’s your next game? And against who?_ **

Kise was surprised by Aomine’s question. It seemed out of the blue, and Kise knew that if Aomine wanted to know his next game, he could just ask Momoi and she would know exactly when his next game was. Maybe he was just curious and didn’t want to wait until Momoi was awake, after all, Aomine wasn’t the most patient person around.

** _00:09_ **

** _Shouldn’t you be sleeping Aominecchi? My next game is in two days against Fukudo Sogo, why do you want to know?_ **

Kise sent the text and decided to finally get up to dry his hair. After all, it was hard to feel tired after that brief moment of excitement and disappointment.

By the time he returned to his phone, Aomine’s reply was waiting for him.

** _Aominecchi 00:15_ **

** _I fell asleep after practice and I’m wide awake now. Damn, Haizaki huh? You better not lose against that bastard. Why are you awake? You usually go to sleep early._ **

Despite himself, Kise couldn’t help but smile. It was just like Aomine to fall asleep right after practice and be awake late into the night. He had always chided him that he needed to maintain a proper sleep schedule so he wouldn’t be sleeping in class, but of course Aomine had just shrugged it off. The fact that Aomine remembered his own sleep schedule tugged at Kise’s heartstrings. It was one of things they had learned about each other when they dated, during those stays over at each other’s houses when Kise would ramble on about everything and nothing and Aomine seemed to doze off next to him but was silently listening. He had said that the sound of his voice soothed him, so Kise had no problem rambling until Aomine really did fall asleep.

** _00:20_ **

** _Typical of you Aominecchi. I actually did homework today! Can you believe it?? I just finished it and I’m sure I got most of them right! And Aomineccchiii! How can you even doubt me? I haven’t lost to Haizaki even once during high school! I’m not about to let that happen my last year!_ **

Kise sent the reply as he turned off the light of his room, leaving only the bedside lamp to illuminate the room before settling under the covers.

A part of him wanted to close his eyes and go to sleep, but another part, the part he wished he could bury, wanted to stay awake for Aomine’s next reply. The thought made Kise sigh, and he forced himself to close his eyes as he settled deeper into his bed.

He should be over that, and he hated that he wasn’t. Aomine had made his decision, and Kise should have moved past that. They were friends now, and that was all. He just wished his heart would remember that.

When the phone vibrated once more, Kise hesitated only for a moment before grabbing the phone.

** _Aominecchi 0030_ **

** _No I don’t believe it. And yeah well just so you know if you lose to Haizaki I’ll never 1v1 you again. Anyway, you should sleep. Goodnight_ **

Kise felt his heart sink once more as he finished reading the text. He couldn’t help but remember how he once treasured the times when Aomine would text him goodnight, when it would make him smile and feel like the happiest guy in the world. He remembered how he would insist to stay up just a bit longer if only to talk to him more, even if it meant he would be tired in the morning.

Now though, Kise felt as if his energy was drained by this text. Rather than smile, he couldn’t help but grimace.

For the first time, Kise didn’t text him back, and chose to sleep instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys... I am super excited about where I currently am in this fic. I'm so excited that I'm pretty sure I'll be posting daily now to catch you guys up to where I am. Until I reach chapter twenty... cause then I have to write out a certain scene that will take a bit(or not depending on how good or simple I wanna make it). 
> 
> Again, thank you for the interest in this fic! I'm actually surprised to have been getting as many hits as I have.
> 
> And for the AoKise lovers out there, more to come on these two.


	15. Kise vs. Haizaki

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Its that time of the year again where Kise faces Haizaki in basketball.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I also realize that I don't think Kise and Haizaki would match up this way outside of a tournament, but we're going with it thanks to ff perks. Also enjoy this longer than normal chapter. There will be some like this hehe.

* * *

For the past few days, Kise hadn’t been feeling his best. All the things that he had put out of his mind in preparation of his duel with Seto Kaiba had returned like an avalanche, and the weight of it all once more settled on his shoulders. Maybe things would have been different if he had won, but his loss against Kaiba still stung and left his confidence shot.

Not to mention that he still hadn’t heard back from KaibaCorp about his entry for the Kaiba Marketing Campaign as a representative, and he didn’t have a shoot scheduled until next week. Not that he would tell anyone, but despite his nonchalant attitude towards modeling, it really was a confidence boost, now more than ever.

And worst of all, it looked like his teammates were taking notice of his mood. They had been eyeing him with concern since the previous night, a few even asking if he was okay. He tried to reassure them that he was fine, but they hadn’t seemed too convinced. His captain had even taken him out for ice cream after practice, and even though Kise was flattered and it had lifted his spirits a bit, his mood just sunk again once he was back home and plagued by the same thoughts. They were probably worried that his mood would affect their game later that night, and the thought didn’t sit well with him.

Fukuda Sogo wasn’t the strongest opponent, and Haizaki he could handle. He had improved along with them, but Kise was confident that he hadn’t improved to the point of being able to overtake him. Of that, Kise was sure. Still, it didn’t mean he would underestimate Haizaki and his team either.

It was only third period, but Kise was already hungry and it was two more periods before lunch. It was English class, so he didn’t even have to really pay attention since he was probably the most fluent in their year. Instead, he looked through his phone and media sites, scrolling the profiles of familiar celebrities and their current projects. From the looks of it, many were doing some ambitious projects, and Kise felt jealous of their accomplishments. Many that he had collaborated with had told him he could do the same, that he had what it took to make it in the world of idols and already had a good base.

But that didn’t really interest Kise.

The worst part was that he didn’t know _why_.

Kise wasn’t much of a soul searcher, and it made it hard to figure out what he wanted from life.

All he knew was that he wanted to be _happy_. He wanted to wake up every morning with a fire to carry him throughout the rest of the day, and every day to be an adventure.

He didn’t want a monotonous, never changing life, sitting at a desk and absorbing useless information or catering to a boss in a dead-end stressful job.

But he didn’t want it to be easy either. 

He wanted to be passionate about what he did and wanted to have a reason to carry throughout the years to come.

But everything just seemed so _temporary_. Basketball was temporary. Modeling was temporary. And once he was done with them, what then? Would he be stuck in a dead-end job after all? What options were out there for him? What else was he good at? What else made him happy? What else would give him the challenge he craved?

It was the questions that plagued him that he didn’t have answers to and weighed him down.

It was then that he felt his phone vibrate to let him know he had a text message, and Kise clicked the notification to see that the message was from Anami. Eyes widening, Kise read the message.

_Call me when you can._

Kise felt his heart skip a beat, and it took all his will power not to rise from his chair and ask to go to the bathroom then and there.

What could Anami have to tell him?

Another shoot?

Did she finally hear back from KaibaCorp about his audition?

Did he get it? Was he rejected?

Kise’s foot was tapping impatiently against the floor now, and as he looked at the clock, the time until lunch seemed too long. Maybe he could sneak out to the bathroom before the next class… yeah, that seemed like a good idea. He doubted he would be able to concentrate if he didn’t find out soon, and quite frankly, math was one of the subjects he actually had to pay attention to if he hoped to make it by.

And after fifteen minutes which felt like hours, the bell that signaled the end of the class period sounded, and Kise made his way to the bathroom as soon as he was able to. He brushed off anyone that tried to approach him, and hopefully his hurry was evident and no one’s feelings were hurt, but then and there, he didn’t care.

As he reached the bathroom, it seemed no one else was there, but Kise only went to one of the corners of the bathroom, phone already pulled out and hovering over the call button on Anami’s name.

She finally picked up after the fourth ring, and Kise felt his heart hammer in his chest at what the news could be.

_“If it isn’t my favorite model! I didn’t expect you to call me so soon. You usually avoid calling me during school.”_

Kise rolled his eyes.

It was true though. When it came to scheduled shoots, Kise tended to avoid calling Anami until he couldn’t avoid it anymore. Sometimes he was just too exhausted with basketball and shoots that it was hard to make that call to find out just what shoot would be next.

“Nice to talk to you too Anami!” Kise started sarcastically, “And don’t act as if you don’t know why I’m eager to call!”

Kise pouted, and he was sure it reflected in his voice. The laugh on the other end told him Anami knew exactly what was going through his mind.

“Well, I guess I won’t torture you any longer.”

Kise liked the sound of those words, and he could only hope that what she said next wouldn’t sink his already sullen mood recently.

“Congratulation Kise! You got the audition with KaibaCorp!”

The excitement in Anami’s voice was like music to his ears, and Kise felt his heart race with relief and excitement.

“You have your audition in two weeks, and I’ll forward the email with the details of where and what time.”

The rest of what she said sounded muffled to his ears, and Kise couldn’t say he remembered the rest of their brief conversation. He just remembered shrieking some unintelligible thing and thanking her for the news and telling her how excited and happy he was to get the audition.

Once he had hung up the phone, Kise felt as if he couldn’t contain the grin on his face or the sudden burst of energy that made him feel jittery and ready to take on the world.

With just these news, Kise felt like his best self again. The uncertainties that had plagued him were immediately forgotten, overshadowed by the overwhelming happiness at accomplishing this immediate goal.

Now, to make sure his audition went well so he could be a part of the KaibaCorp campaign. Not to mention, a chance to see Kaiba again. With that in mind, Kise welcomed the sudden burst of happiness that accompanied the thought, making him grin wider and his heart beat just a bit faster.

It was only when the bell rang that Kise remembered he was supposed to be back in class, and with a curse, Kise rushed out of the bathroom and back to his classroom.

But even with the knowledge that he would get in trouble, the grin on his face never fell from his lips.

* * *

“It’s a pleasure to do business with you Mr. Kaiba,” the man in a crisp suit in front of him bowed, and Kaiba stood from his seat, also bowing at the older man.

“Likewise. We will be contacting you with the official dates as soon as they are decided. Thank you for your time.”

Kaiba didn’t wait to be dismissed as he grabbed his briefcase and made his way out of the meeting room, his long coat flaring behind him as he walked with the purpose of a man on a mission not to be messed with.

The business man left behind the desk sighed with relief as the intimidating presence of the CEO left the office as abruptly as he had arrived. As rumors had it, Seto Kaiba was a man of pure business. There was little idle chat where he was involved, and despite his young appearance, he had the experience of someone double his age, and thrice to offer. Which was why finding a business partner in KaibaCorp was not something to be turned down, especially for any business wanting to reach a broader clientele.

As Kaiba reached the car waiting for him just outside the doors, he sat in the back, closing his eyes and sighing as he closed the door.

The meeting had actually gone as expected, if not better, and finished ahead of time. A success by all accounts.

“Where to next, Mr. Kaiba?” Tanaka asked as he looked at him from the rear-view mirror.

Usually, Kaiba knew exactly what his next destination was. His mind was a constant checklist of things to do at any given time. There was always an agenda to be followed and completed.

Today however, something had been pricking at Kaiba’s thoughts. A lingering thought that for the past two days he had tried to ignore, but somehow managed to remain. Perhaps it was curiosity, or his subconscious need to escape the rut that continued to plague him. Either way, it had remained in the back of his mind, tantalizing if just to see something different. Perhaps the reason he had rushed through his meeting more than usual.

“Tanaka, how far are we from Kanagawa?” Kaiba asked, looking out the window to the afternoon skies.

“Ah, about forty-five minutes, sir,” Tanaka replied, and Kaiba remained silent for just a moment.

He knew it was in the opposite direction of his company and home, but the thought of just how close it was made that thought in the back of his mind even more appealing, and Kaiba tsked before sighing once more. Looking at the time on his watch, Kaiba knew that he had just enough time to make it.

After all, he already knew what time the game would start.

“Take me to Kaijo High School.”

* * *

His spirits high, Kise was looking forward to his game against Fukuda Sogo. It looked like his energy had also transferred to his teammates, and all of them looked more confident in turn. It was still some time before the game was set to start, and his team was in the locker room while the gym was being prepared for the upcoming match.

Their coach would be coming in shortly to go through their plays and plans to take on their opponent, as well as give them their pep talk and pump them up for the game.

“Kise! You’re looking better!” one of the second years, Hachiro said, slinging an arm around Kise’s shoulders from his seat on the bench with a large grin.

Hachiro was the team’s starting point guard, and probably one of the best they’ve ever had. He was one of the best players Kise had ever seen as a ball handler, and his passes were almost as good as Kuroko’s without having to use misdirection. He had a very energetic and positive personality that often raised the team’s moral, and Kise personally thought he would make a good captain if it wasn’t for his carefree attitude and lack of discipline. Much like himself. It was one of the reasons they got along so well.

“Yeah! I got some amazing news this morning and I’m very excited about it!”

Their teammates overhearing their conversation then seemed to converge in on them.

“Eh, what news is that Kise?” Izumo, their second-year black-haired center asked.

Kise grinned and winked in his direction.

“It’s a secret, I can’t go public with it just yet,” he replied and his teammates grinned as they shared a look.

“We know what that means, it must be model related news,” their captain, Ashia Takeshi, said with a smirk.

Their captain was a second-year as well, and even though Kise was the only third-year on their team, he had turned down the offer to be their captain. He had known from the moment that Takeshi became a first-year member that he should be captain when their seniors left, and had made sure everyone understood his reasoning. Takeshi had everything they needed in a captain. He was strong-willed, passionate, disciplined, and had the backbone to keep the rest of their teammates in line when slacking off while also bringing their spirits back up when they felt down.

Not to mention, Kise never saw himself as captain material. He was much too carefree and more of a loose cannon. He needed someone to ground him and remind him of his place many a times. Not to mention, being a captain was a lot of responsibility, and Kise didn’t like responsibility at all. He enjoyed his freedom as Ace and only having to focus on his own improvement to help their team win. Anything more would probably be too much pressure and basketball wouldn’t be as fun as it was. It was for that reason that Kise greatly respected and admired his captains.

For his part, Kise only grinned wider and said nothing.

“Just don’t forget that we still need you as our Ace, don’t slack off just because you landed a good gig,” Takeshi continued, giving Kise a whack on his head with his fist in a playfully reprimanding way, causing Kise to pout in return.

“Takeshicchi! How dare you doubt me! You know how important basketball is to me!” Kise replied, rubbing the spot on his head where his captain had playfully hit him.

The rest of his teammates laughed.

“I’ll show you! We’ll beat Fukuda Sogo by a landslide! Right guys?”

Kise looked to the rest of his team with a confident glint in his eyes, causing everyone to straighten with resolve as they also looked confidently back at him.

“Yeah!”

“Damn right!”

Yeah, this was what being an Ace was about.

* * *

By the time Kaiba arrived, the parking lot was almost as busy as the last time he had come to see a game at Kaijo. The only difference being that he didn’t have a ticket this time. Not one to be deterred by his spontaneous decision however, Kaiba told Tanaka that he would call him when he needed him, and closed the door behind him as he followed the crowd of people going inside the gym like last time.

From there, it was easy to see the ticket stand, and Kaiba made his way over to it, glad to see that it wasn’t very long. When it came to be his turn however, the two young girls behind the counter looked at him in the same way most woman tended to do, confused and awestruck at the unusually tall and handsome man and at a loss for words. Kaiba glared at the two girls, hoping that would break them of whatever pubescent thoughts they were having about him.

“One ticket,” he said, reaching for his wallet in his back pocket.

One of the girls seemed to snap from her trance, and blushed.

“Ah, I-I’m sorry sir, but we actually just sold the last ticket. We’re at full capacity.”

Kaiba frowned.

“I see. Very well.”

The girls looked troubled as they shared a look, but before they could say anything else, Kaiba had turned around towards the people still lingering outside the gym, and looked around until he spotted what he was looking for.

Making his way to a short and lanky boy, Kaiba grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him around as he was passing by. The boy looked confused, and his expression quickly turned to startled as he was met with the sight of the intimidating and frowning face of Seto Kaiba.

“You, boy, do you have a ticket for this game?” Kaiba asked, face stoic and voice short as he looked down at the boy.

The boy in question blinked behind his round glasses and nodded shyly as if afraid to voice his answer.

Kaiba smirked.

“Perfect. I’ll buy it for fifty-thousand yen,” Kaiba said, and immediately the boy’s eyes widened as he stared back at Kaiba in shock.

“W-what? Fif-fifty-thousand?” the boy stammered out in what sounded like a squeak.

Kaiba’s eyes narrowed.

“Did I stutter? Fine, forty-five thousand. Take it or leave it kid.”

As if to prove his point, Kaiba dug out his wallet and took out the money, making it obvious that he wasn’t lying about the fact that he could back up his claim. Seeing physical proof, and never having had that amount of money to his name at one time, the boy squeaked before fumbling for his ticket inside his coat and handing it to Kaiba who gave him the wad of cash in turn.

The boy blinked and stared at the cash in awe, and Kaiba smirked.

“Pleasure doing business kid.”

Kaiba turned towards the entrance with ticket in hand and handed it to the boy collecting said tickets before making his way into the already buzzing gym.

Kaiba made his way to an open space and sat down where he had a decent view of the court which was already being used for the warm ups by both teams. The current drill for Kaijo’s team was to make shots from the free-throw line, and Kaiba’s gaze immediately locked onto Kise’s bright blonde hair in the line of dark-haired players.

After the players in front of him made their shots and jogged back to the end of the line, Kaiba expected Kise to also shoot a familiar shot, only for Kise to surprise him by running to the basket and making a layup instead, before running back to the back of the line while some of his teammates high-fived him on his way back.

It was when Kise reached the back that Kaiba noticed a member of the opposite team approach him, the number eight on his red jersey.

* * *

“Show off as always, Ryota.”

At the sound of the familiar voice, Kise turned around to face his rival of the day, a smirk already on his face.

“Nice to see you again Shogo,” Kise greeted slyly, stepping out of line so he could properly talk to his opponent without getting in the way of his teammates’ warm-up.

It seemed as if every time he saw Haizaki his hair was in a different style. This time was no different. Unlike the last time they had played each other, Haizaki’s hair was shorter and spiked atop his head, cut shorter on the sides but with bangs that hung over his left eye. It made his features look sharper but more boyish, and Kise couldn’t help but think that he looked kind of attractive with his new hairstyle. If it weren’t for his awful personality, Kise might have considered him his type as far as looks went.

“I wish I could say the same Ryota, but quite frankly, seeing your face makes me want to throw up,” he replied, only making Kise grin further.

“Well you should be careful with that, it’d be a shame if that affected your playing. Or don’t tell me, is that the excuse you’re using as to why you’ve lost to me all these years? Kind of cheap, don’t you think?”

His words made their mark, causing Haizaki’s face to darken as he glowered at Kise.

“Watch your mouth Ryota,” Haizaki said, stepping closer into Kise’s personal space, “Or you might just regret those words.”

Kise didn’t flinch back from Haizaki’s advance, and instead made his own, closing the distance further so that their noses were only a breath apart.

“How’s that? Are you going to give me another injury?” Kise challenged, his own voice dropping and his gaze darkening, “because we both know you won’t be satisfied unless you beat me at my best.”

Their stalemate lasted only a few seconds, before someone called Haizaki over and the dark-haired boy tsked before breaking away from Kise with a glare and walking back to his team.

Takeshi also walked over to Kise, placing his hand on Kise’s shoulder before meeting his gaze.

“Everything okay?” he asked, and Kise smiled back at him.

“Yeah, typical Shogo trying to get to me. No worries,” despite Kise’s reassurances, Takeshi didn’t look convinced and only frowned.

“Watch yourself around him Kise. Haizaki is trouble, especially when it comes to you.”

Kise’s response was to sling an arm around the shorter captain, grinning freely.

“C’mon Takeshicchi! Don’t be a kill joy. I can handle Shogo!”

Takeshi only sighed and shrugged Kise off.

“Well then, stop slacking and get back to your warm-up!”

Kise laughed and saluted.

“Aye-aye captain!” Kise replied before getting back into the line for a few more shots before the game began.

* * *

Kaiba watched as the buzzer sounded and the players got into their starting positions. It looked like this time the tip-off would not be done by Kise, as a different player took the center. He was probably a little taller than Kise, but his height would definitely be needed considering the player on the opposing team was massive as far as height. He could have easily been seven feet tall considering how he towered over every player on the court. His dark complexion and features made it obvious that he was from a foreign country, and most likely a foreign exchange student.

Kaiba was familiar with certain school practices when they would offer scholarships to students from other countries for the purposes of having an advantage in sports. Kaiba had no doubt that this school had done just that.

That’s why when the buzzer sounded, and the referee tossed the basketball in the air, Kaiba wasn’t surprised when the foreign student was able to quickly tip the ball towards his side of the court, and into the opponent’s hands.

The player with the ball quickly dribbled into Kaijo’s territory, before being marked by one of Kaijo’s players who halted him in his tracks. The player with the ball tried to get past Kaijo’s player, but when it became obvious he wouldn’t get past, he looked for an opening before passing the ball before a travel could be called.

In his desperation to pass the ball to another player, Kise was able to easily intercept the sloppy pass, and was able to get past 3 different Sogo players, including the player that had seemed to confront Kise earlier with the number eight jersey. Reaching the basket, Kise smoothly did a successful layup, scoring for Kaijo and making the buzzer sound. The second round resulted with another advance by Kaijo, but this time, the tall foreigner had stayed on defense by the basket, and when a player of Kaijo’s tried to score, it was easily blocked by the foreigner’s long reach, before the player threw the ball to a player past the half-court line, and one of Sogo’s players that lay in waiting caught the ball and made for Kaijo’s basket, Kaijo’s players unable to reach him in time to stop his from scoring a three-pointer.

As the buzzer sounded, Kaijo’s team reformed, but none looked shaken by their opponents score.

Only a few minutes into the game, Kaiba could tell that this game didn’t quite have the intensity that the first match he had seen against another member of the Generation of Miracles had, and the only player that seemed to give Kaijo trouble was the tall foreigner. So far Kaijo was ahead by two points, but with Fukuda Sogo quickly catching up.

“Daichan! I told you we should have left earlier! We missed the first ten minutes!”

Kaiba’s was distracted by the familiar figure of a tall and tan boy that sat down next to him on the benches. Turning his head slightly, Kaiba was able to confirm that the person next to him was none other than the member of the Generation of Miracles that had played against Kise during the last game.

Aomine Daiki.

And next to him was a long pink-haired girl with a legal pad in her hand.

“Relax Satsuki, it’s only the first ten minutes, and Kaijo’s in the lead,” Aomine’s gruff voice replied as he casually leaned back against the empty bench behind him.

The girl, Satsuki, pouted.

“Ten minutes is a lot when I’m trying to gather data Daichan! I mean look! Fukuda Sogo has a new player. He’s gigantic! No doubt he’s been giving Kaijo some trouble.”

Kaiba turned his gaze back to the game but made sure to listen in on the duo’s conversation. He wasn’t sure what the girl meant by gathering data, but since she was with Aomine, he could only assume that it was for his team.

“He’s tall, so what. Kise’s gone up against taller guys before.”

Satsuki huffed.

“You’re missing the point Daichan. Either way, if you’re confident Kaijo will win, why did you tag along? You rarely come with me to games,” she asked. 

There was a moment of silence, a moment in which the player with the number eight jersey took possession of the ball and went one on one against Kise, and Kaiba was shocked to see that he managed to get past Kise, and score two points with a particularly aggressive move.

“I don’t trust Haizaki,” Kaiba heard Aomine practically growl.

“You don’t really think Shogo would try to hurt Kichan again, do you? He hasn’t tried anything since he hurt him on purpose our first year,” Satsuki replied, concern laced in her voice.

Kichan… was she talking about Kise? She must be, because Kise had mentioned being injured during his first year. This Haizaki Shogo must have been the one to hurt him, and from the confrontation before the game, there was no doubt that this Haizaki was the one with the number eight jersey.

“Yeah well, Haizaki hasn’t managed to beat any of us even once during high-school, and he hates Kise more than anyone. I wouldn’t put it past him to try something during our last year to try and get back at Kise.”

At this Satsuki sighed.

“I hope you’re wrong Daichan. But say he does, what are you going to do about it? Are you going to beat him up again to protect Kise’s honor?”

Again? Aomine had fought Haizaki to get back at him for Kise? It seemed that he and Kise were closer than Kaiba had thought.

“Damn right I will. And I’ll leave him worse for wear than last time.”

At this, Satsuki giggled.

“You’re seriously hopeless Daichan…”

“What do you mean??”

“Forget about it! You’re too dense to understand!”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” Aomine demanded, obviously offended.

“Anyway! We can’t underestimate Shogo. It’s only the first quarter and we know he’s a slow starter. It won’t be long before he shows his ability and changes the dynamic of the game.”

Abilities? So this Haizaki guy had more to offer? He couldn’t have been one of the Generation of Miracles, he hadn’t seen him anywhere during the game with Vorpal Swords. As he watched the game, the point gap had closed slightly, and Kaijo was only ahead by six points now.

It seemed that Satsuki was right when she had said Haizaki was a slow starter, and perhaps that went for the rest of the team, because not long after, Haizaki did something that shocked Kaiba.

One of Kise’s teammates had done a particularly tricky move that had scored Kaijo a few points, and as Kaiba watched their movements, he saw that Haizaki was doing the exact same move…

_Can it be? Can Haizaki copy moves too?_ Kaiba thought to himself as he watched in fascination as Haizaki scored with a smirk on his face, before throwing Kise a confident look and going back to his side of the court.

“There he goes, _Pillage_, Shogo’s ability. Now Kichan’s teammate won’t be able to use that move for the rest of the game…” Satsuki said, and this confused Kaiba.

How could copying a move make someone unable to use it?

Again, it wasn’t long before Kaiba was able to see what she meant, as Kise’s same teammate tried to do the same move again, only for his shot to miss and for him to look shocked by the fact.

“I’ve always hated his ability…” Aomine said.

“You have to admit its kind of interesting… to be able to change the rhythm of a move so that the original player can’t use it successfully.”

Kaiba spared the duo a glance, just in time to see Aomine shrug nonchalantly.

“It makes no difference. Haizaki might be able to copy Kise’s teammates, but since Kise can copy the Generation of Miracles, something Haizaki will never be able to do, as long as they pass the ball to Kise and Kise uses our copies, he’ll be able to win.”

Satsuki frowned.

“That may be so Daichan, but that’s if Kichan’s stamina doesn’t run out. You know how copying you guys takes its toll on his body, and if he doesn’t hold out, Shogo could very well win. Especially with that new tall player that can keep a tight defense. And from the looks of it, Kichan is trying to hold off on copies of the Miracles, and that’s what it might also take to get past him. Kichan can’t possibly go up against those two by himself.”

Aomine was silent, and Kaiba turned his full attention to the game.

As the game progressed, Kaiba was able to see that just like Kise, Haizaki could copy a move by seeing it just once. But as Satsuki had said, once Haizaki copied the move and changed its rhythm, the original player wasn’t able to use it any longer, meaning that Kaijo had to be smart about when and how they used their best moves, which meant Fukuda Shogo quickly got ahead of Kaijo by six points as Kaijo was more often than not missing their baskets.

By the time the third quarter began, some of the players were beginning to look tired on both sides, but Kaiba took notice of the way Kise remained confident despite Haizaki’s unique challenge.

How did Kaijo plan to close the point gap as Haizaki took all their quickly dwindling moves?

* * *

“C’mon Kise! Where’s your copies of the Miracles!” Haizaki asked as he guarded him while his own teammates were handling the ball and making their way towards Kaijo’s basket.

Kise only grinned at Haizaki.

“What? You actually think I need them to beat you?” Kise taunted, and this caused Haizaki to frown.

“Are you making fun of me? There’s no way you can win without using your copies!”

As if to prove his point, Haizaki’s teammate scored a three-pointer, making them ahead of Kaijo even more.

Despite the growing gap, Kise didn’t falter in confidence.

“Watch us Shogo! Don’t underestimate my teammates!” Kise retorted, his eyes darkening as his teammate took possession of the ball and made a hard drive towards the opposing basket, and Kise sidestepped another guard while at the same time positioning himself to receive the ball.

Hachiro, as expected of him, managed to successfully pass the ball to Kise, who looked up at the imposing figure of the tall foreign player Fukuda Sogo had managed to recruit. With resolution to win for his team, Kise didn’t hesitate to take on the giant, feigning left and right, doing some complex ball handling moves to confused the giant, before jumping back and making a two-pointer, smiling when he managed to get the better of the tall player and being able to shoot the ball into the basket faster than his opponent could block it, managing to close the gap slightly between his team and Haizaki’s. As Kise had quickly learned, their tall player might have height and long limbs on his side, but speed was not one of them.

As the third quarter came to a close, Haizaki didn’t stop in his onslaught, scoring yet another basket for Fukuda Sogo.

As Haizaki gave Kise a cocky smirk, Kise only frowned slightly through his labored breathing.

“Are you sure you don’t want to bring out those copies of yours?” Haizaki asked.

* * *

As the buzzer sounded the end of the third quarter, Aomine groaned aloud.

“Argh! What is Kise doing! Why hasn’t he copied us to get the better of Haizaki? Is he _trying_ to lose?”

Kaiba had to agree with Aomine. He wasn’t sure what Kise was up to, but it certainly seemed as if he was holding back. He knew Kise was capable of much more, just from his match again Aomine and even more so from the game against Jabberwock. So why was Kise taking it easy on his opponent? Especially against the very player that had worsened the very injury he blamed for not being a better player? Why wasn’t he using his best moves?

_What’s your angle, Kise Ryota? _

Despite’s Kise’s obvious holding back, Kaiba noticed that his teammates still didn’t look worried as they drank from their water bottles on the bench. Any team behind in points should be worried, especially in the final quarter. And the calmness of Kaijo made Kaiba curious. It seemed Kaiba wasn’t the only one who noticed.

“Neh, Daichan, don’t you think it’s odd that Kaijo doesn’t look nervous?” Satsuki asked with a tone of surprise.

“Eh? What do you mean?” Aomine asked.

“Well, look. They look awfully calm for a team whose majority of moves were stolen by Haizaki and behind in points, especially considering it’s the last quarter. And with Kise not using his copies of the Miracles… it all just seems off.”

Kaiba once more glanced at the duo, and saw Aomine frown as he took a closer look at Kaijo.

“I guess you have a point… do you think they’re up to something?”

Satsuki didn’t answer, and the buzzer signaling the start of the final quarter sounded.

* * *

As the ball was once more tipped in the directions of Haizaki’s team, Sogo didn’t hesitate to drive forward, intent on keeping their point gap and score against Kaijo.

But as Haizaki passed Kise, he froze when he noticed that Kise hadn’t followed after him, and instead gone the opposite way towards their basket. Frowning, Haizaki noticed that the formation of Kaijo had changed, and in a split second, the ball was stolen from Sogo by Kaijo’s captain, who rushed forward while the rest of Kaijo marked the opposing players. Seeing what was going on, Haizaki made his way towards Takeshi, who tried to keep the ball away from him, only for Kaijo’s point guard to sneak past them and receive the ball from his captain, causing Haizaki to pivot in shock.

“Steal this, Haizaki!” Hachiro yelled as he moved forward.

Haizaki’s gaze traveled further ahead, where Kise was currently still making his way to their basket, guarded by their giant, and watched as Kise jumped up towards the basket to everyone’s confusion, only for Hachiro to throw the ball into Kise’s waiting hands, and with a perfect pass, Kise slammed the ball into the basket, and the crowd went wild.

* * *

“An alley-oop! Of course!” Satsuki gasped as she watched Kaijo’s play.

Both Kaiba and Aomine turned to look at her, curious at her excitement.

“It’s genius! Shogo might be able to steal a player’s moves, but he can’t steal an alley-oop! This was their plan all along!”

Aomine on the other hand, frowned.

“Well sure, but that won’t work twice against their team now that they know what they’re up to…”

At Aomine’s comment, Satsuki seemed to sober up.

They were surprised however, when both teams regrouped, and yet a new formation was done by Kaijo, their team moving towards a drive, and when it looked like Kise would once again go for an alley-oop, and the giant went to stop him, another of Kise’s teammates snuck around the other side, and rather than Kise receiving the ball, it was the other player who caught it and scored.

Despite knowing what to expect, Kaijo continued to successfully score with alley-oops, with each of the players doing their own combinations, each slightly different from the others, and managed to keep up their defense so they were a solid five points ahead of Sogo by the middle of the last quarter.

* * *

“You see Shogo? I don’t have to use my copies, because my team can handle you just fine on their own!” Kise replied as he bounced the ball between them, and Haizaki practically shook with fury.

“But you’re right, I shouldn’t disrespect you by not playing my best. But remember, you asked for this!” Kise said with a grin as he took a step back, and despite being behind the half court line, took the familiar stance of Midorima, and the familiar high arc of Midorima’s famous high trajectory three-point shot made its way into Sogo’s basket, propelling Kaijo in farther ahead in points.

After that, Kise used the rest of the time in the final quarter and the last of his stamina to use his copies of the Miracles and absolutely crush Fukuda Sogo, and by the times the last buzzer sounded, Kaijo was ahead of Fukuda Sogo by fifteen points.

As the players of Fukuda Sogo tried to catch their breath, Kise made his way over to his own team, who converged on him and patted him on the back and slung an arm around him, cheering as they reveled in their victory and the success of their plan.

When it came to bow to the other team, Haizaki refused to even look at Kise as he and his team quickly retreated to retrieve their things before leaving.

Kise thought he would feel prouder about the sound defeat they had accomplished against one of their rival schools, but for some reason, Kise felt a little guilty, and he wasn’t quite sure why.

As he gathered his bag and wiped the sweat from his neck and face, Kise made sure to thank and congratulate his teammates for their solid win, and as he looked up into the stands, he noticed that they were mostly clearing out. It really was a shame that Kaiba never replied to his text, but maybe it was for the better. After all, he really didn’t think his game against Haizaki was that great.

As he followed his team outside the doors and towards the locker, Kise stopped when a familiar shade of pink caught his eye.

* * *

“Momocchi! Aominecchi!”

Aomine and Satsuki stopped when they heard the sound of their names being called, and turned to the approaching figure of a smiling Kise.

“Kichan!” Satsuki called out with an excited wave, while Aomine just stuffed his hands in his pockets.

Kise stopped short of them, his smile widening.

“I can’t believe you guys came to my game! Well, I believe that Momocchi came to gather data….” Kise said with a pout at which Satsuki only smiled cutely and tilted her head, “But seeing Aominecchi here! That’s a treat! Wait, is that why you asked when my next game was?”

Aomine only looked away.

“I just wanted to make sure you didn’t lose to that bastard…” Aomine gruffly replied, “Speaking of! What the hell were you thinking holding off on your best copies until the final quarter!”

At the reprimand, Kise rubbed the back of his head and grinned sheepishly.

“Sorry… it _was_ a little reckless but I guess I just wanted to prove a point…” Kise replied.

“You did great Kichan! And the plan you and your team came up with to go against Fukuda Sogo was brilliant!”

Kise smiled brighter as Satsuki’s praise.

“Yeah! It was actually Hachiro that came up with it! He brought it up—” Kise stopped abruptly, and both Satsuki and Aomine frowned in confusion as Kise craned his head to look at something behind them and watched as his face went through a flurry of emotions. First, he frowned, as if catching sight of something unusual, then surprised, only for his face to break out into a bright smile.

“Ah sorry guys! I just saw someone! Thanks for coming to my game! I’ll see you guys next time!”

Kise didn’t wait for their response before he rushed past them in the direction of where Kise had seen what caught his attention.

Both Aomine and Satsuki followed his running figure as he made his way through the still moving crowd of people to a tall brown-haired man with a long white coat leaning against a wall, stopping short of him and smiling brightly at him, looking even more excited than when he had seen them.

“Who is _that_?” Satsuki asked, eyes wide as she took in the unfamiliar man.

Aomine didn’t answer but frowned as he also took in the form of the man. He looked familiar, but Aomine couldn’t quite place why.

“Wow, that guy is _handsome_, but I’ve never seen him before… and it didn’t look like Kichan was expecting him. Do you think he’s Kichan’s…” Satsuki stopped herself, remembering just who she was with, and looked to see Aomine’s expression.

It was blank, his usual stoic expression in place as he looked at the two figures.

“It doesn’t matter, let’s go home,” Aomine said, turning and walking towards the exit of the gym.

* * *

Kaiba hadn’t exactly planned on sticking around after the game, and it was more of a coincidence when he caught sight of Kise talking to the very same people he has sat next to during the game. He knew he should leave before he saw him, his reason for coming to see his game was only to sate the urge to see a good game and break his monotonous life.

It was also just timing that caused their gaze to meet and Kise to see him, and Kaiba figured that trying to make a break for it would be unsightly. So instead, he merely leaned against the wall beside him and made to show that he was waiting for him.

To his surprise, Kise immediately made his way over to him, the familiar bright smile on his face.

It was odd, no one besides his brother and Yugi ever looked genuinely excited to see him. And unlike the case of Mokuba and Yugi who he had gone through so much with, he hadn’t done anything to really warrant Kise’s excitement.

“Kaibacchi!” Kise cried out as he stopped short of him, and Kaiba took notice of Kise’s bright gold eyes shining as he looked at him, “You came!”

Kaiba gave a simple nod as he crossed his arms in front of him.

“I was nearby for a meeting, and figured I’d see if it was true you would live up to your word.”

Kise did his best to reign in his happiness at seeing Kaiba at his game. After having no response from the young CEO, Kise was beginning to think that maybe Kaiba had given him a fake number after all. It was more than a pleasant surprise to see him at his game. It didn’t even bother him that Kaiba didn’t text him back, just the fact that he had come to his game despite his usually busy schedule more than made up for it.

“Yeah! What did you think? I told you we’d win the next one.”

To this, Kaiba smirked.

“Well I have to say, I didn’t think you had it in you to be so brutal,” he replied.

To this, Kise blinked, looking slightly confused.

“What do you mean?”

“C’mon kid, you practically kicked the other team while they were down during that last quarter,” Kaiba said.

This time, it was Kise that smirked, and Kaiba was surprised to see his eyes darken with something Kaiba could only call malice. 

“Ah well, about that. There’s a good reason for that. I needed to beat Shogo soundly, so he wouldn’t think he had ever had a chance. Shogo has always been a little too full of himself even though he’s lost to me all these years, I thought it would be a good idea to show him his place,” even Kise’s voice sounded different, almost husky and filled with confidence and pride.

Kaiba couldn’t help but give Kise an appraising look. It seemed that despite his pretty boy and cheerful personality, Kise Ryota had a darker side. Perhaps he wasn’t as nice as he made himself out to be, and that certainly made him a little more interesting.

“Hn. Well I must say, you certainly crushed his spirit. Still, it was an interesting match to see someone with a similar playing style as you. For a moment I actually thought you might lose, yet you turned the match around like it was nothing. It was quite impressive, although different from your last game.”

Kise felt himself blush as heat gathered in his cheeks, causing him to duck his chin slightly to try and hide the effect of Kaiba’s praise. It still felt unreal to be recognized by someone like Seto Kaiba, and it was embarrassing how obvious he made it.

Kaiba couldn’t help but feel a trill of pride seeing Kise’s apparent blush and thought that it suited him quite well. The way he ducked his head caused Kaiba to take notice of his particularly long lashes and the warm golden eyes behind them.

“Yo! Kise!”

At the sound of his name, Kise swiveled his head in the direction of the familiar voice. It was Hachiro, who stopped just short of him.

“Everyone is waiting for you. The coach wants to go over the game before we leave,” Hachiro told him, and Kise nodded.

“Oh yeah, sorry. Give me just one more minute! I’ll be right there!” Kise put his hands together in front of him, as if begging for a favor, and Hachiro only gave him an odd look before shrugging and making his way back towards the locker room.

Kise turned back to Kaiba who met his apologetic gaze. Kise didn’t really want to say goodbye. Having the opportunity to see Kaiba recently was something he would never have dreamed of just two weeks ago. To simply bid him goodbye and not know when he would see him again didn’t sound appealing to him.

So Kise did the next best thing.

“Kaibacchi, do you have anywhere to be right now? I know it’s getting late but if you want, we can go grab some food nearby. I can’t promise a grand meal, but we have some decent food places you might like. I just have to talk to my team and change clothes if you don’t mind waiting like ten minutes.”

Kise knew it was a long shot, but then again, so had been inviting him to his game, yet here he was.

Honestly, had Kise known that Kaiba would be watching his game, he would have probably played better and showed off a lot more, but as it was, he had decided to toy with Haizaki more than anything. Perhaps that’s why he had felt a little guilty earlier. 

As Kaiba eyed Kise in front of him, and the hopeful look in his eyes and the apparent desperation in his voice, he couldn’t help but sigh.

Kaiba’s distrustful nature had made him consider a few things since Kise had popped into his life unexpectedly. And with the recent knowledge that Kise had applied to their Marketing Campaign, that part of him wondered if his recent involvement with them was because he hoped to use them in securing a spot for himself in their campaign. After all, working for KaibaCorp would be considered quite an accomplishment for anyone, and the compensation was nothing to scoff at. Did he plan on asking him for favoritism? If that was the case, Kise Ryota would surely be disappointed.

Still… part of Kaiba was interested to see just what kind of play Kise planned on making if that was the case. Kaiba loved nothing more than catching someone in the middle of their plan and thwart their efforts, only to leave them humiliated.

For that reason, he would play whatever game Kise Ryota was getting at.

And if he thought he could use him and his little brother for his own agenda, then he would have another thing coming.

“Sure. I’ll wait for you by the fountain.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also forgot to say I wont be able to update Sunday, I will be out of town this weekend. What did you guys think of Kise's new teammates? 
> 
> One of the hardest things about writing this fic was making new teammates to replace the old and show the next generation. But that's part of growing up so I felt it was very necessary. But it made me sad thinking about it 😭😭


	16. Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kise is getting really good at getting Kaiba to play games with him.
> 
> Kaiba teaches Kise smart business practices.

It took a little longer than he hoped for their coach to wrap up the meeting, and Kise changed lightning fast into his track suit, forgoing a shower as he normally would so that he wouldn’t keep Kaiba waiting longer than he had to. Knowing Kaiba, he would probably leave if Kise took too long.

He could only hope that he didn’t smell too bad from the game and that the amount of deodorant and body spray he used was enough to cover up any bad odors.

After saying a final goodbye to his teammates and turning down invitations to go get something to eat in celebration, Kise rushed in the direction of the fountain where he would meet Kaiba. As he got closer to his destination, Kise silently pleaded that Kaiba still be there, and a he broke through the double doors that led to the courtyard, Kise’s heart raced as he looked around.

It was already dark out, with only a faint hue of purple in the sky. And as Kise took in the scene in front of him, to his relief, the familiar form of Kaiba beside the fountain, his figure and flaring coat illuminated by the outdoor lights from both the fountain and the overhead lamps. Kise smiled, his heart skipping a beat as he was once more taken back by just how handsome Kaiba was, and thanking his lucky stars that he hadn't left.

“Kaibacchi!” Kise called out, smiling and slowing to a jog as he approached Kaiba, “Sorry it took a bit longer, the coach had more to say than I thought.”

Kaiba didn’t return his smile, just stared back at Kise with his usual stoic face and crossed arms.

“I was just ready to leave if you didn’t show up.”

Kise tried to look apologetic.

“Well, I’m glad you waited,” Kise said, smiling sincerely, “But anyway we should head out! I know the perfect spot that’s walking distance. And I don’t want to take too much of your time, I know it’s a long way home for you.”

Kaiba didn’t say anything, but he did uncross his arms, choosing to put one of his hands in his pockets and looking expectantly at Kise, who took this as his cue to lead the way.

The restaurant Kise had in mind was a place he frequented often when he could. It was kind of a small place, tucked into a corner that wasn’t the most noticeable, and you kind of had to know was there. The only reason Kise had found it was because he had been looking to hide from a group of fan girls that had been following him one day after school.

He knew that it was a place he could have his privacy, and with Kaiba alongside him, privacy was exactly what Kise wanted. Not that he planned on doing anything in particular, but he rather not be seen by anyone that would recognize him and would want to talk. He wanted to make the most of his time with Kaiba.

It was the reason why Kise decided to take the quiet streets, where he knew very few people would be out and about.

As they started what Kise knew would be a ten-minute walk, Kise glanced over to Kaiba who walked beside him in silence. Lucky for him, Kise was used to the silent type. Practically all of the people he tolerated and got along with were the silent types, especially when it came to the Generation of Miracles. He was used to being the one to start conversations, and knew that asking questions was the best way to make conversation with someone who didn’t participate in much small talk.

“Neh, Kaibacchi, why didn’t you text me back? I was beginning to think you gave me the wrong number,” Kise started, stuffing his hands in his pockets to keep them warm from the slight chill in the air.

Kaiba spared him a glance.

“I was busy with work. Some of us have jobs you know.”

To this Kise laughed, as if what Kaiba did could be considered a simple job.

“You call being a CEO a job? That sounds more like lifestyle you know. Did you always want to be a CEO?” he followed up.

Mokuba had already shared a lot of their past with him, especially the reason for pursuing the path to CEO, but Kise wanted to hear it from Kaiba. He wanted to see just how much he was comfortable sharing, and how he made it sound.

“Not particularly. I wanted a comfortable life for Mokuba and I, and it just so happened that the opportunity to become a future CEO crossed my path. I would have been a fool not to take it.”

As expected of Kaiba, he kept his answer vague, but Kise was happy that he had answered him at all, not to mention even though he had kept his answer cryptic, he wasn’t lying.

“That’s pretty amazing Kaibacchi. I envy that you were able to know what you wanted and went for it. And you became a CEO at such a young age. I’m almost eighteen and I still don’t know what I want to do with my life,” Kise added with a sigh, looking up at the sky and the moon that hung over them.

Kaiba once more spared Kise a glance, taking note of his forlorn expression.

“You seem to be doing well for yourself. I noticed you had more than a few scouts keeping an eye on you at the game,” Kaiba said, causing Kise to look at him with surprise.

It wasn’t so much that there were scouts, hell, Kise had scouts since he was a first year. It was more so that Kaiba had noticed. Then again, it _was_ Kaiba. Kise smiled.

“Ah well, like I said during dinner last weekend… It just feels that high school should be it for me as far as basketball is concerned. I’ve always felt that once I graduate, it’s the end of basketball for me too. It’s why I’ve played so hard these past few years. I still love basketball… but I feel that if I keep playing, I’m going to start hating it sooner or later, just like every other sport before I found the Generation of Miracles. I should quit while I’m ahead, while it’s still a nice memory, you know?”

Kaiba absorbed the meaning of his words, trying to decode what Kise meant by it. Kaiba had never played sports to the level that Kise did, so it was hard to relate. But when he thought of it in terms of Duel Monsters, Kaiba was able to understand it a lot more. When Kaiba had been around Kise’s age, Duel Monsters had been the center of his world. He lived and breathed the challenge of it, craved every victory that came his way. When Yugi and the ancient evils they faced came along, Duel Monsters had even more meaning. It wasn’t just a game anymore; it was the difference between life and death.

Now however, Duel Monsters was nothing but a shadow of what it once was. There were no ancient evils, and no rivals at every corner. The thrill that had once accompanied the game was gone, and even though Kaiba still enjoyed the game, he couldn’t say he craved it as he once did. Was that what Kise saw in his future with basketball? If that was the case, he was more intuitive than Kaiba would have thought for someone his age.

“Hn. You sound like an old man.”

At his comment, Kise laughed, his remark lifting his mood a bit.

“You know Kaibacchi, you’re actually kind of funny.”

“You just noticed?”

Kise grinned even wider, just as he caught sight of his destination. The little restaurant was tucked in between a convenience store and a small business, its sign reading ‘Rampo’s’ barely visible from the lack of lighting.

“Ah, here we are Kaibacchi! I know it’s not a five-star restaurant, but the food is really good, they have a lot of original recipes, and it’s nice and quiet for the most part.”

Kise led the way, Kaiba following him into the quaint establishment.

The inside was slightly bigger than Kaiba would have thought from the look of the restaurant from outside, the large room dividing into two sections that were lit by red paper lanterns that gave the place a more calm and private ambiance. Several traditional style pieces of art were hung around the room, portraying coy fish, geisha’s, and dragons.

“Ah, Kise! Welcome!” a young woman with strawberry blonde hair and brown eyes came out from a door to the side of the main entrance, most likely leading to the kitchen of the place. She wore a white button up collared shirt and black pants with a red apron tied around her waist.

“Harumi! Nice to see you!” Kise greeted with a bright smile.

Harumi took notice of Kaiba behind Kise and smiled shyly.

“Good evening sir, welcome to Rampo’s,” she said with a polite bow.

Kaiba said nothing, but nodded in acknowledgement, and Harumi turned back to Kise.

“Do you want to sit at your usual table?”

Kise nodded.

“Yes please!”

Harumi led them to the back of the restaurant, and despite not having many customers at this hour, took them to one of the more secluded tables as far as Kaiba could see. She placed two menus on the table and bowed once more, claiming to be back with water.

Kaiba and Kise settled across from each other, and Kaiba took note of just how at home Kise seemed in this place.

“Seems you come here often,” he noted, and Kise nodded.

“Well, I live by myself, and with basketball practice and games, I don’t always have time or energy to cook for myself, so I end up coming here most of the time. I like it here, and it’s the perfect distance between school and my apartment. Not to mention, Rampo and Harumi give me a discount,” Kise added with a proud wink.

Kaiba knew that it wasn’t unusual for high school kids to live by themselves in order to be closer to their school in Japan, but it was something Kaiba had never had to experience for himself. It made Kaiba wonder about Kise’s family, and how far they were from him.

“How far from your hometown do you live?” Kaiba found himself asking.

Kise was surprised by Kaiba’s interest, but it made him smile as he answered.

“Well, my family and I have lived in a few places growing up, but right now my parents and two older sisters live in Tama,” Kise replied, delighted that Kaiba had taken initiative to ask about him.

“I see,” Kaiba said, looking at the menu in front of him.

He hadn’t eaten since about noon, and he was hungry. The selection wasn’t large, but full of traditional dishes, and Kaiba was surprised to also see some western style food. By the time Harumi came back however, Kaiba knew what he wanted. He was surprised to see that Harumi had brought some appetizers alongside the water that she set down on the table in front of them.

“Rampo says on the house,” she said with a smile, making Kise smile widely.

“Awe, tell him I said thank you!” Kise replied and Harumi nodded.

“What will you have today Kise?”

“My usual after a game,” Kise replied, and Kaiba noticed that he hadn’t so much as touched the menu. Harumi probably never gave him a menu when he came and did so today out of courtesy to Kaiba.

“Oh! How was your game?” she asked.

Kise gave her a thumbs up with an accompanying grin.

“Nailed it!”

Harumi smiled.

“That’s great Kise! Congratulations!”

Harumi then turned to Kaiba.

“Have you decided on what to have, sir?” she asked, and Kaiba nodded.

“I’ll have the namerou,” he said, and Kise blinked as he saw the way her eyes brightened at Kaiba’s choice.

“Good choice! Rampo makes a delicious mackerel!” Harumi replied, “Anything to drink?”

“No thank you, water is enough,” Kaiba replied, and Kise shook his head.

Taking the menus from the table, Harumi nodded before leaving.

It wasn’t long before Kise turned his attention to the appetizers that Harumi had brought, gyoza and shumai.

“Itadakimasu!” he said, before breaking his chopsticks and grabbing a gyoza and dipping it into the soy sauce beside it.

“You sure are spoiled here,” Kaiba commented as he watched Kise eagerly eat the appetizer.

Kise smiled as he chewed.

“Well, they like me because I also give them free tickets to my games, they’re actually big fans of mine,” Kise replied once he finished the food in his mouth, “Eat Kaibacchi! Don’t make me feel bad.”

Kaiba broke his own chopsticks and grabbed a hold of a shumai, actually one of his preferred appetizers. It tasted better than he expected, maybe even better than most he had had at higher tier establishments.

“I’m always starving after a game,” Kise mentioned, taking a sip of his water.

Kaiba looked at Kise, thinking back to the game and not surprised that he would be hungry after it. After all, Haizaki hadn’t seemed like the easiest opponent, despite the victory.

“What’s the story behind number eight? He seemed to have the same ability as you to copy moves after only seeing it once,” Kaiba brought up.

Kise blinked at him, not surprised that Kaiba was able to catch Haizaki’s ability.

“Ah, well his name is Haizaki Shogo. We actually went to middle school together when the Generation of Miracles first started there. He was actually one of the original starters before I joined the team. He’s always been kind of a brat. He rarely went to practices and had an awful attitude, but he did his part on the team and helped them win so no one did much to him.”

“I joined kind of late, but when I started we had a bad relationship. He didn’t like me very much, and tried to one up me during practice all the time. Like his ability of stealing moves, he was constantly trying to take things from others. Once he even tried to steal this girl that called herself my girlfriend, when she wasn’t even my girlfriend to begin with! Anyway, since I’m a fast learner I was quickly added to first string, and from then Shogo became even more competitive with me. Eventually though, he ended up leaving the team, it seemed kind of sudden at the time, but I guess Akashi told him to quit since he knew I would soon replace him.

Ever since then Shogo has pretty much hated me. He’s the one that injured my foot when I was still recovering from my first injury during our first-year competition. He’s the reason we lost against Shutoku in the inter-high, and only got fourth place. Because of my injury I couldn’t play in the game, and my team lost. Thankfully we got our revenge during the inter-high the following year! We made it to the semi-finals but lost against Touo. Rakuzan ended up winning that year, but Touo managed to win the Winter Cup since Akashicchi was away on an important family business trip during that competition, and Rakuzan didn’t make it past the quarter-finals without him. Man, that was a good match though! It’s too bad Kagamicchi went back to America before that, Seirin isn’t the same without him.”

Kaiba raised an eyebrow at Kise, surprised that it seemed he hadn’t taken a moment to breathe during that entire conversation. Kise also seemed to realize his talking and blushed in embarrassment.

“Hehe, oops, I’m rambling. Sorry Kaibacchi, sometimes I don’t realize how much I talk. You probably don’t even know who I’m talking about.”

No, he didn’t, but he did recall Touo being the school Kaiba had seen Kise play against the first time he saw him play, and Rakuzan the team that Akashi Seijuro led. Kagami he barely recalled from the match with Vorpal Swords.

“So anyway Kaibacchi, how’s Mokubacchi been? I’ve been meaning to text him but keep forgetting.”

Kaiba took a sip of his water before answering.

“He’s been busy with school since he got back. According to him he has an important research project to do for the next few weeks. It might be hard to get a hold of him if you want to talk to him.”

Kise made a noise of understanding.

“That’s a shame. I really liked hanging out with him. I think we could be really good friends,” Kise admitted.

“He seems to have taken a liking to you too.”

Kise smiled. He didn’t plan on telling Kaiba, but Mokuba had asked him to try and be friends with Kaiba if he could. He had said that he was worried that his brother worked too much, and never put effort into making any friends, and since Mokuba studied abroad, he wasn’t able to be there for his brother like he used to be. He was glad that Mokuba had confided in him for that, but Kise was more than glad to befriend Kaiba even without Mokuba having asked him.

Then again, considering the moment they had shared that past weekend, an even bigger part of Kise hoped that friends was only the beginning of what they could be… Kise was still trying to convince himself that it had happened to begin with, and that he hadn’t just imagined it all. He also hoped that the fact that Kaiba had taken the time to come to his game meant that it wasn’t all in his mind, and that he was at least a little bit interested in _something_, even if that something was just friendship.

There were too many unknowns when it came to Kaiba, but Kise felt driven by the fact that the handsome man was sitting across from him.

“Say, Kaibacchi,” Kise said as he broke from his thoughts, “let’s play a game.”

Kaiba met his gaze, his interest piqued, and Kise continued.

“Twenty questions. We take turns asking each other questions, and we have to answer truthfully. But you can also pass if you don’t feel comfortable answering anything.”

Kaiba raised an eyebrow.

“Sounds more like truth or dare without the dare. You do know that 20 questions is an actual game right? And its not played like that at all,” Kaiba retorted, causing Kise to blink.

“Eh, is that so? Well okay, let’s call it Truth or Pass!” Kise replied with a grin.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at the much too enthusiastic boy.

“No. I don’t play juvenile games.”

Kise immediately pouted at Kaiba’s response.

“C’mon Kaibacchi! It’s a good way to get to know each other!”

Kaiba sighed, sitting up straighter.

“Who said I want to get to know you?”

More and more Kaiba was beginning to regret his decision to come here. Sure, he wanted to know what Kise’s motives were, and sure, maybe this was a great way to answer some of his questions, but there was also no guarantee that Kise would be honest with his answers. Still… perhaps he could have a little fun with this mini interrogation.

“Kaibacchi!” Kise whined louder, and Kaiba could have sworn this is what a kicked puppy looked like.

“What do I have to gain from this?” Kaiba asked, crossing his arms in front of him and leaning against the back of his seat, intent on playing his part of stubborn.

Kise pouted. Honestly? What did Kise have to offer to someone like Kaiba that had everything he could ever want and more? This was such an unfair question. Kise leaned his cheek against one of his hands, a thoughtful look on his face. Thinking was not his forte, he left that to his superiors and captains, but Kise decided to just go with the first thing that popped into his head.

“You drive a hard bargain Kaibacchi. How about you get to ask two questions per turn and I’m not allowed to pass anything? And, I won’t tell anyone about the things you do tell me!” Kise offered, a focused look on his face as he leaned forward and stared hard at Kaiba, willing him to agree to his terms.

Kaiba smirked at his offer. For someone that was used to bargaining entire livelihoods, Kise’s offer over a silly game was certainly humorous. Still, so long as Kise was honest, he could possibly have more leverage to use over him later on.

“You do realize that in the business world, your word means nothing if it’s not on paper,” Kaiba challenged, and Kise blinked at him.

“So… you want me to write it down?” Kise asked, a confused look on his face.

Normally, Kaiba wouldn’t hesitate to talk down to someone that asked such an obvious question… but oddly enough, he found the look on Kise’s face endearing. The thought immediately caused him to frown.

“Obviously,” Kaiba replied.

Kise blinked once more before opening his school bag and looking around, before taking out a notebook and pencil.

“Okay! If it will get you to play with me, I have no problem being legally responsible,” Kise said as he opened the plain notebook to a clean sheet, “although I see why you have a hard time making friends Kaibacchi.”

Kaiba glared at the blonde in front of him.

“Good thing for you Kaibacchi, I don’t mind challenges,” Kise added, this time with a confident grin.

“Joy,” Kaiba replied flatly, causing Kise to laugh.

“Okay so how do you usually start this stuff in movies….” Kise said as he held the pen in his hand over the first line in the paper.

“I, Kise Ryota, promise that in this game of Truth or Pass, will answer two questions instead of one, cannot pass or lie, and will not speak to anyone about the questions asked or answered during the game,” Kise read aloud as he wrote it out.

“There! How does that sound?” Kise asked as he looked back at Kaiba.

“Not bad for someone that knows nothing about business,” Kaiba commented, “However, I think I’ll have you add that should you break any of the conditions, you will pay in restitution as seen fit my me, Seto Kaiba.”

Kise blinked at Kaiba once more.

“Heh you really drive a hard bargain Kaibacchi, but fine!” Kise went ahead to add Kaiba’s request in the sheet in front of him, only to sign his name below the impromptu document and add the date next to it.

“Is that good enough?” Kise asked.

“You do realize this means that should I catch you in a lie I can ask whatever I want of you right?” Kaiba asked the much to proud looking blonde in front of him.

Kise only grinned wider.

“Yep! That’s okay, my life is an open book! And I trust that despite your reputation, I don’t think you’d be too harsh with me. And I don’t plan to lie to you,” Kise said with such a soft look on his face that it caught Kaiba off guard.

Kaiba wasn’t sure whether to believe that this guy was that genuine or just plain stupid. Despite the legal aspect of it though, Kaiba knew that if he really caught Kise in a lie, evidence to back up his case would all be circumstantial unless it was caught in video. Still, for someone to do something so reckless for a mere game. It was stupidity as its finest.

Kaiba sighed.

“Alright, fine. I’ll indulge you.”

Kise grinned widely, not caring how easily Kaiba had given into his demands.

“Ok! I’ll go first then!” Kise began, taking a moment to think before his eyes brightened with excitement, “How many languages do you know?”

Kaiba considered just passing every question Kise asked, but that might only serve to cut the game short.

“Fluent in four, and a moderate amount in two others,” Kaiba replied, and watched in amusement as Kise’s eyes widened.

“What! I expected more than one… but six? You really are amazing Kaibacchi!” Kise said.

Kaiba said nothing, already thinking of what his first question would be. After all, to anyone who wants to grow their business, knowing multiple languages is a must.

“My turn,” Kaiba said, and Kise tenses in preparation.

It was only then that Kise became nervous. Kaiba was a genius, which meant he probably wouldn’t ask any silly questions like Kise planned on doing. He knew that since Kaiba was a private person, it would be better to keep his questions general, and perhaps test his luck as they went along. There were a few questions he was dying to ask, but questions he wasn’t sure Kaiba would easily answer. He however, was doubly vulnerable to whatever Kaiba wanted to ask. And even though Kise didn’t think he had anything to hide per se, he wasn’t sure what to expect from Kaiba’s questions. And unlike Kaiba, Kise had nothing protecting him. He could only hope Kaiba wasn’t as bad as some people made him out to be.

“When I first introduced myself to you, you didn’t seem to recognize me, but when we dueled, you seemed familiar with my play style and favorite cards, did you already know who I was or not?”

As expected of Kaiba, he hit right where it counted. Kise _had_ known who Kaiba was, but he had pretended not to, to save face. The thought caused Kise to grin sheepishly.

“I did know who you were, I’ve known who you were since I started playing Duel Monsters as a kid and you created your holographic technology,” Kise replied.

At his answer, Kaiba narrowed his eyes.

“Good thing I have two questions per round, now, why did you pretend not to know me?” Kaiba asked, and once more Kise was reminded that Kaiba knew exactly what to ask.

Kise didn’t really have to think too hard for his answer. The memory was still clear in his mind of the moment it happened. Still… how to properly word it without being too embarrassed…

“Well, when you first talked to me you were kind of condescending…” Kise started, rubbing the back of his head and trying to not sound offensive but truthful. He could have certainly used more colorful wording when it came to how Kaiba came off during their first meeting, but he knew that would get him nowhere he wanted.

“So I thought maybe you were a bully or had a grudge against me, and didn’t want to seem intimidated. And when you revealed who you were, I was taken off guard, but I didn’t want to seem uncool by acting like one of my fan girls…especially around one of my childhood idols. I was actually really happy when Mokubacchi approached me and told me about seeing KaibaCorp for myself, because it gave me the chance to be able to plan on fulfilling my childhood dream to duel you,” Kise admitted, and when he felt himself blush, looked off to the side rather than chance a look at Kaiba’s expression. Although knowing him, it was probably the same stoic look he always had on his face.

Kaiba found himself believing Kise. Either that, or he was that good of an actor. More than that however, his answer also revealed more about Kise. It seemed he was not unfamiliar with bullies, which he could see why from Haizaki alone. Just how often did Kise have to deal with people with grudges against him? It also seemed that Kise was familiar with fan girls, and considering his good looks, didn’t come as a surprise to Kaiba either. During high school, and even now, Kaiba was aware he had a few fan girls himself, and how annoying they could be. He could understand why Kise would not want to come off that way. Mokuba had already told him how they had planned the surprise duel, so Kaiba knew that Kise was telling the truth on that as well.

And for the love of the Egyptian Gods, why did Kaiba feel the desire to make Kise blush and look embarrassed more often?

“My turn Kaibacchi?” Kise asked tentatively when Kaiba didn’t say anything to his answer.

Kaiba gave a single nod.

Kise felt on the spot. After answering that question, he wasn’t quite sure what to ask next, until he thought of the one question that had egged Kise to ask Kaiba to come to his game.

“Well… after seeing this game, did I end up making you a fan?” Kise asked, his embarrassment momentary forgotten as pride and excitement replaced it at the thought of finally getting his answer.

Seeing how excited Kise was, Kaiba knew exactly what to do to get under his skin, and smirked at what he knew would come.

“Pass.”

As expected, Kise’s face immediately dropped, and Kaiba felt both accomplished and amused at all the drastic changes that Kise’s face was going through in such a short amount of time.

“Kaibacchi!” Kise practically shrieked, “that’s so not fair!”

Kaiba grinned wider.

“I’m not obligated to answer, remember? You should have had me sign something. Bad business practice, kid.”

Kise pouted and crossed his arms, glaring at Kaiba as hard as he could, and looking much like a too-old toddler who hadn’t gotten his way.

“I hate you right now.”

For the first time in a long time, Kaiba had the urge to laugh, but as always, Kaiba held himself in check and suppressed that urge.

Kise sighed, and averted his gaze to the side.

“Whatever, just ask your questions. You probably just won’t tell me because you want me to invite you to more of my games.”

While Kaiba certainly wouldn’t mind seeing a few more of Kise’s games against other members of the Generation of Miracles, he certainly wouldn’t let that fact be known.

There wasn't a lot Kaiba cared to know about Kise, and the only reason Kaiba had agreed to this ridiculous game was to find out about his intentions when it came to his involvement with him and Mokuba, and how that coincidently happened while trying to be hired as part of their Marketing campaign.

“It must get pretty expensive living on your own away from your family. Do you have a job outside of basketball?”

Shit.

The one question that Kise didn’t want to answer. The one thing he wanted to keep a surprise.

Had Mokuba mentioned it? Mokuba knew he was a model, but he hadn’t told him he had hoped to audition for KaibaCorp, and he had been careful during his time with them to steer clear of that topic. But if Kaiba had asked… then he had to suspect something, or even already know. And if he lied, he would call him out and thanks to the piece of paper Kise had just signed, would no doubt use it against him and get something out of him. Well, if that was the case, Kise would do more harm lying.

“Well, I’m also a model actually,” Kise replied with a sheepish smile.

Kaiba’s eyes narrowed. So, he told the truth. It was a start, but only a start. Now to dig deeper.

“Seems like you really do have a full plate. Modeling atop of basketball, that’s quite a bit for a high schooler to handle.”

Kise was able to see that Kaiba didn’t look at all surprised by his admission. Most people tended to be surprised to know he modeled, but then again, it was Kaiba, who showed little of any kind of emotion no matter the situation in the short time he had known him.

“Do you have any big auditions coming up?” Kaiba asked, and Kise froze.

He knew.

He absolutely knew.

He had to, right?

Should he try to bluff his way out of it? Maybe tell the truth without saying where his audition was?

Kise was taking too long to answer, and it caused Kaiba to narrow his eyes at him.

“Well… there is one big audition I have in a few weeks. I actually just got the call today and I’m really excited to try my luck.”

Kise was glad that Kaiba’s two questions were over, but despite it being his turn, he just knew that Kaiba would ask him who he had the audition with. He really would prefer to keep that part a secret, if only to save face if he didn’t make the auditions.

As if fate knew that Kise needed an intervention, Harumi arrived with the food in tow, and it was only then that Kise realized he had almost forgotten exactly where they were and how hungry he had been. His hunger was practically nonexistent, but the delicious aroma of the food made his stomach churn with newfound appetite as their plates were put in front of them.

“Ah, it smells delicious as always!” Kise said, and Harumi smiled.

“I’m glad, can I get you anything else?”

Kise looked to Kaiba with silent question, and when Kaiba shook his head, Kise looked back to Harumi.

“We’re okay, thank you Harumi,” Kise said.

Harumi gave one last smile and bow before leaving them to their dinner, and Kise took the moment to give his full attention to the food as to prolong any further questions. Maybe, if he played his cards right, he could forgo the game all together so that he wouldn’t have to answer any more questions about his audition. Kise had thought that this would be a good opportunity to get to know Kaiba, but now he realized he had sold himself short.

Perhaps turning the focus to the food would be a good way to escape his self-imposed interrogation.

After a game, Kise always had udon and vegetable tempura to replenish his energy and feed his muscles, not to mention, it was one of the few times he could enjoy high carb meals without guilt to maintain his model physique. And by far, Rampo’s udon and tempura was his favorite. The bowl of udon was steaming hot, the aroma savory even without the added seasoning on the side. Each vegetable tempura was golden to perfection, and Kise felt his mouth water.

Looking over at Kaiba’s plate, his food looked just as appetizing, if not more. The presentation was definitely much fancier than Kise’s plate, and from the way Harumi had reacted to Kaiba’s choice, it seemed this was probably one of Rampo’s favorite dishes to make, and the way he set up the plates showed it.

The white bowl held tightly packed white rice at the bottom, topped with what looked like chopped fish that must have been the mackerel Harumi had mention, mixed with chives and other green garnishes that Kise couldn’t identify. It was a dish that Kise would have never thought to order himself, but it seemed fitting for a man as put together as Kaiba.

“Your dish looks good Kaibacchi! Are you a big fan of fish?” Kise asked, taking a bite of one of the sweet potato tempura, resisting the urge to moan at how it seemed to melt in his mouth.

“Is that your question?” Kaiba asked, chopsticks posed to grab a bite of his food as he looked at Kise.

Kise for his part, kicked himself for forgetting the nature of the game he started and wasting it on a question like that.

“Will you let me change it if I say no?” Kise asked sheepishly.

“No,” at his flat answer, Kise couldn’t help laughing.

“I didn’t think so, so I guess that is my question,” Kise replied.

As if wanting to torture him, making Kise wonder if he would pass again or actually answer, Kaiba took a bite of his food, chewing leisurely while Kise waited, but also taking advantage of the drawn out silence to enjoy his own food.

Finally, Kaiba swallowed, and Kise’s chewing slowed.

“I prefer steak,” Kise was hoping that Kaiba would elaborate, but it seemed that was all he would disclose even with such a simple question.

So the ball was back in Kaiba’s court, and Kise knew the question Kaiba was bound to ask.

Kaiba for his part, debated if he should end the game so soon. He knew he should, to prolong his answer was only a waste of time, but a part of him wanted to know more about the boy that was Kise Ryota.

“Who is your favorite Generation of Miracles player?” Kaiba asked, and Kise’s eyes widened in shock.

“Neh, that’s an unusual question to ask Kaibacchi,” Kise replied, honestly surprised that Kaiba had steered from the modeling questions toward basketball instead. Still, it was a question Kise was delighted to answer, but maybe not the easiest one…

“Well,” Kise started, putting his chopsticks down in a way that showed he was thinking deeply about it.

“I guess if I had to choose… it would be Kurokocchi!” Kise answered excitedly with a bright and honest smile.

Kaiba could see by the look on Kise’s face that this Kurokocchi made Kise happy with just the thought of him, and he wondered why that was, not to mention, he didn’t even know who this Kurokocchi was.

“Which one is he?”

Kise’s face brightened even more.

“Kurokocchi was my basketball mentor in middle school! He plays for Seirin now. After I joined basketball and got put into first string, Kurokocchi was assigned to teach me the ropes. He isn’t a like the rest of the Generation of Miracles, when I first met him, I was completely underwhelmed. He was awful! Couldn’t even make a shot! I couldn’t understand how he was a starter in a team of prodigies. It kind of pissed me off actually,” Kise chuckled, and Kaiba could see that as he spoke, Kise was thinking back to his memories of that time, he could see it in the emotions of his eyes.

“But when I saw him play, saw his amazing passes and the way he changed the momentum of a game, it changed the way I saw him. I guess what makes Kurokocchi amazing is that even though he was horrible at basketball, he never gave up on the sport he loved, and found a way to be useful to the rest of the team…”

Kise paused to take a bite of his tempura, but Kaiba could tell from the far-off look in his eye that he wasn’t done.

“I guess that since I’ve always been good at sports, I was never able to relate to people like Kurokocchi, and he inspired me to stop thinking about just me and really _see_ and appreciate those that work so much harder to be where people like me and the rest of the Generation of Miracles are. See, in middle school, winning was easy, and we never had to worry about each other, and since no one could challenge us, we were pretty inconsiderate to the other teams. Kurokocchi reminded us what it meant to enjoy basketball again, and to respect the basketball from other teams even if they weren’t as strong as us.”

The look on Kise’s face was one of contentment, and for a moment, Kaiba felt an emotion he tended to push to the back of his mind. Here was a seventeen-year old boy. A boy who had barely lived, who seemed to have had a relatively easy life, who had probably not seen nearly as much as he had seen in his own life, and yet… he looked as if he had discovered the key to life when he talked about his experiences with basketball. It made Kaiba angry, how naively happy Kise seemed. And if he thought too hard about it, Kaiba knew that he was angry because he envied that look on Kise’s face. That look that said Kise was genuinely happy with his life, when all his life, Kaiba had searched for a semblance of that same happiness that he had yet to find. It was that look that Yugi always had, that even that nobody and talentless Wheeler did.

How could people that had nothing seem so happy, while someone like him, who had everything, felt so numb?

“Kaibacchi… it’s my turn,” Kise said, breaking Kaiba from his thoughts.

Kaiba took another bite of his food. It really was a decent meal.

“You know my rivals…Who is _your_ rival?” Kise asked, eyes bright with curiosity.

Kaiba blinked.

His rival? Well, it was an easy question. His rival had always been the Pharaoh. Atem. He had thought it was Yugi at first, but after everything they went through connected to their ancient pasts, it was obvious that only Atem could be considered his rival. Yugi was good no doubt, he had managed to defeat Atem as only a King of Games could, but he was never able to see Yugi as his rival after everything was made clear. Perhaps it was the fact that he was never able to defeat Atem that made him his rival, and he had never pursued the same path with Yugi. To him, Yugi had always just been the vessel to the Pharaoh. Sure, with time he was able to see Yugi as more than that, but still never to the same caliber as his rival.

“My rival… the only person I’ve ever considered a rival was in duel monsters. The one person I was never able to defeat. He bested me time and time again, no matter how often I changed my deck and strategies. He seemed to always be one step ahead. He’d spew nonsense like destiny, friendship, and heart of the cards. As if he knew all the answers in the world…”

Kise blinked, his heart beating faster in is chest. The look on Kaiba’s face was different. For the first time, he was able to see a hint of genuine emotion in his eyes. He looked pained, in a way that made Kise hurt in turn. He found himself wanting to reach out and comfort Kaiba, but knowing better, held himself back. Kaiba wasn’t the type to accept comfort.

Still, Kise was surprised that Kaiba had answered. He was even more surprised by the answer itself. Even though Kaiba had been as vague as could be… Kise felt as if Kaiba had told him a story heavier than the words could speak for themselves. Kise knew what a rival was, knew the effect that it had on people, knew the weight they could be. And somehow, he could see that Kaiba’s rival was indeed a formidable person. They had to be, if Seto Kaiba himself could look so pained at the thought of them.

For his part, Kaiba didn’t know why he told Kise. He should have passed such an intrusive question, but the words escaped him before he could stop himself. Had he been too lost in thought?

Kaiba clenched his fist. Worse yet... why did telling Kise make him somehow feel lighter?

“Kaibacchi…”

As Kaiba looked up from his food to meet Kise’s gaze, he was taken aback by the look on his face. Kaiba was already used to seeing the myriad of emotions that Kise was capable of, but this look was different. It was soft, in a way that Kaiba wasn’t used to seeing when it came to how people looked at him, and his golden eyes spoke of a warmth that only Mokuba and perhaps his parents had ever looked at him with.

“I really want to play Duel Monsters with you again…” Kise’s voice was soft, almost a whisper to Kaiba’s ears. It wasn’t a proclamation, not the way Kaiba was used to being challenged by most duelists. There was something different about the way Kise said it…as if the idea of playing with him was something to be cherished…exalted… _desired_. It was a look of longing, the look of a man who had found something worth chasing...

_Ba dump_.

And for the first time in his entire life…

Seto Kaiba felt his heart skip a beat.

* * *

After that moment, their “game” was over. Neither quite willing to continue.

For his part, Kise was glad that he hadn’t had to tell Kaiba about his auditions with KaibaCorp and hoped that it meant Kaiba still didn’t know about it.

Kise spent the rest of dinner talking about himself mostly. He told Kaiba about how his sister got him into modeling, and about the shoot he had next week that involved being a merman for a mermaid tail making company that had recently taken off in popularity and was trying to market to the male demographic.

Afraid that Kaiba would still ask about his upcoming audition with KaibaCorp, he steered the conversation away from modeling to his younger days when he was more active with duel monsters. He told Kaiba about the best cards he managed to win from people, and the kind of decks he had made over the years only to recently find out that his mom had given away all his cards to one of the neighboring kids.

“I really thought I was done with duel monsters… but when I met you and Mokubacchi… I knew that I had to play against you. I knew I couldn’t let that chance slip by… so I put together a new deck and well… you know the rest…” Kise said.

Their plates were empty, the two having finished quite a bit ago. Kise didn’t know how much time had passed, he only knew that he wished they could stay longer, but also knew that Kaiba had a long way back home and a company to get back to in the morning. He couldn’t keep him back much longer.

“You mean to say you put that deck together in a week?” Kaiba asked, an eyebrow raised.

Kise grinned sheepishly. Technically… it had been two weeks since Kise had started putting his deck together when he first heard about the auditions… but Kaiba didn’t need to know that.

“Well, I had some help from Momocchi, Akashicchi, and Midorimacchi, but for the most part I really did have to scout around and try my luck. It actually ended up kind of expensive,” Kise scratched at his cheek when he remembered just how much money he had spent on packs and rare cards, not to mention the traveling costs for places that were a fair distance away.

Kaiba was impressed.

To put a deck together like the one Kise had… it was the kind of deck that took people months and tournaments to put together, but Kise had done it in a week? And to come so close to defeating him with it…

It was then that Harumi came with the check and placed it on the table with a smile.

“Take your time,” she said, before turning back to attend to a different table.

Kise was reaching for the check when Kaiba beat him to it, making Kise blink only to frown at the older man.

“Kaibacchi! Give me that! I was the one who invited you, I should be paying!” Kise protested with a pout.

Kaiba was quiet for a moment, and only spared Kise a look before taking out some cash and placing it on the table.

“Consider it a reward for winning your game.”

Kise was about to protest some more, but once more, Kaiba beat him to it.

“Besides, you should save your money to get better cards if you plan to beat me in Duel Monsters.”

Kise blinked again, before smiling at what Kaiba’s words implied.

“Deal!” he replied happily, causing Kaiba to look away.

“My driver will be here soon; do you need a ride home?” Kaiba asked as Kise gathered his things, after all, it was only right to offer.

At the question, Kise paused. While he would love to spend more time with Kaiba, Kise really didn’t want to keep him any longer than he had.

“Ah no that’s alright, thank you! You have a long way home and I could use the walk home. It’s not very far and I really like walking at night.”

Kaiba shrugged.

“Have it your way.”

Kise smiled as they stood and he slung his bag over his shoulder.

“Kaibacchi… it really means a lot to me that you came to my game and had dinner with me,” he said.

Kaiba huffed as he led the way towards the restaurant’s exit.

“Don’t overthink it. Like I said, I was nearby and had nothing better to do.”

Kise sweat dropped as he followed, why did he feel as if he was talking to Midorima?

Catching sight of Harumi, Kise waived to catch her eye.

“Have a goodnight Harumi! Tell Rampo I said the food was delicious as always and I’ll be back soon!”

Harumi smiled and offered a small wave back.

“Have a good night! See you next time!” she replied.

As Kise and Kaiba exited into the cool night, Kise felt both refreshed and tired. After sitting down for so long, his legs felt a little heavier than usual from the game.

“Either way Kaibacchi, I had fun with you! And now that I know your phone works, I’m going to text you every day until you reply!” Kise said, pointing in Kaiba’s direction accusingly.

Kaiba grimaced, somehow knowing Kise would do as he said.

“I make no promises…”

Kise laughed and it was then that a familiar car pulled up in front of the restaurant.

“Well Kaibacchi… have a good night, and a safe trip,” Kise said, stuffing his hands in his sweatpants pockets as we watched Kaiba approach the car.

Kaiba only spared him a glance before he opened the car door and entered the vehicle, closing the door behind him.


	17. Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kise updates Momoi on his life.
> 
> Kaiba continues to ponder Kise's intentions.

Kise had held true to his word.

A few days after his dinner with Kaiba, Kise had probably texted him at least twenty times a day.

It had become like an experiment to him, seeing what Kaiba would text back to and what he would ignore completely.

Kise started with general questions; birthday, favorites; color, number, drink, location, book, sports team. To which Kaiba had answered as vague as could be; Wednesday, blue you idiot, all of them, whatever sounds good at the time, away from idiots, a good one, and sports are stupid, especially basketball.

Basically, Kise learned that Kaiba was far more sarcastic than he would have guessed. Still, his answers always brought a smile to Kise's face and a feeling of accomplishment for managing to at least get a response out of the guy, even if they never told him anything of actual value.

Kise would also send him funny memes and cute and funny animal videos. Those he mostly did in hopes that it might make him smile even a little, a thought he sincerely doubted he would ever admit if any ever did.

The last thing that Kise did was send him pictures he would take, whether it was of himself, whatever was in front of him, or scenery around him.

He had asked Kaiba to send him pictures too but had only received a flat no.

Despite it all, Kise was having fun. The small interactions that he had with Kaiba brightened his day considerably and put him in a better mood.

It was what he had missed when it came to having a crush, which he knew it was exactly what Kaiba was to him now.

For years it had been Aomine that had given him that kind of excitement and after their breakup, it was nice to have those warm fluttery feelings again.

Even if nothing came out of it, Kise welcomed the distraction that was Seto Kaiba.

“Kichan!”

Kise looked up from his seat at the booth of a nearby ice cream shop, and smiled at the approaching figure of his pink-haired friend as she slid into the seat across from him, bright and eager smile on her face.

“Hi Momocchi!” Kise greeted, but his expression changed to one of confusion when he looked behind her towards the door, surprised when he didn’t see a familiar figure right behind her.

“No Aominecchi with you today?” he voiced his thought as he looked at the girl across from him.

Momoi shook her head.

“Kichan, you act as if I’m always with Daichan! Sometimes even I need a break from him you know,” she replied with a sheepish grin.

Kise couldn’t say he blamed her, Aomine could be a handful sometimes with his attitude and lack of filter. Still, it was odd when Momoi wasn’t attached to Aomine at the hip. It was something that had intimidated Kise during the time he had liked Aomine before they dated. The two were inseparable, and Kise had thought that they could end up together despite Momoi’s crush on Kuroko. But, after being both their friends for years, Kise knew that the two were more like best friends and a little bit of siblings to each other.

“I thought this would make up for having him get in the way of our last hang-out to help with your deck,” she added.

“Ah, well it’ll be nice to catch up with you Momocchi!” Kise told her.

Kise had admitted to himself that he hadn’t been too fond of Momoi in the beginning. He had thought her ability to gather information was useful for their team during Teiko, but had thought little else of her. It had annoyed him that she was always around Aomine, making it hard for Kise to get him to himself, and it annoyed him that she brought it upon herself to call him ‘Kichan’, despite his own habit of adding -cchi to certain people’s names.

It had only been during his time in high school that the two had grown closer. Momoi had been the first person to guess at his crush on Aomine and confront him about it. Then again, he was sure Akashi had probably known since the beginning, after all, he hadn’t seemed at all surprised when they made their relationship known to them.

Momoi had told him that she didn’t have any negative thoughts about his crush, and that she would support them and help in any way she could if Kise wanted to pursue Aomine instead of liking him from afar. Kise had been hesitant at first, but he knew Momoi was trustworthy, and finally having someone to talk to about his deepest secret was a welcomed relief.

He had a feeling that it was thanks to Momoi that Aomine hadn’t been too surprised when he finally confessed at the basketball court that day, but neither had ever told him exactly what she might have told him. Still, knowing her cleverness, she had probably planted ideas and thoughts to get Aomine to start thinking about Kise as more than just a friend and rival, something that Aomine had later confessed he had always thought about but had ignored since he thought he was supposed to only see girls in that way. Momoi had probably known this about him too and was the reason she wanted them to be together and encouraged Kise to pursue him.

Despite how things had ended, Kise was grateful for what Momoi did, and he was glad to have a feminine figure in his life besides his sisters, mother and manager that he could go to that didn’t annoy him like the vast majority of females in his life.

Which was why he welcomed her friendship, even after his breakup with Aomine. He was glad that she hadn’t come along with Aomine, actually. The less contact with him outside of basketball, the better.

“So Kichan, when is your duel? You never told us when you would do it,” Momoi asked, looking at Kise intently with her bright red eyes.

Kise grinned sheepishly. In truth, he had never told his friends outside of Akashi what had happened between him and Kaiba. It was out of embarrassment more than anything, really. And hoped that in his rematch with Kaiba he would be able to win and then be able to tell his friends about it.

“Ah about that…” Kise clapped his hands in front of him, “Please don’t be mad… but…”

There was a brief pause, as Momoi looked at Kise expectantly.

“I already dueled him…” Kise said, admonished look on his face.

As expected, Momoi’s eyes widened, before her surprised turned into an angry pout.

“Kichan!” Momoi whined, “Why didn’t you tell us! I wanted to see the duel!”

Kise smiled apologetically.

“I’m sorry Momocchi… it’s just that it was kind of an unexpected opportunity that came up, and I couldn’t pass it up! And well… I ended up losing so I was kind of embarrassed to bring it up…” Kise admitted.

Her angry pout became more prominent as the girl crossed her arms in front of her.

“Kichan! Well now you have to tell me all about it!” the girl demanded.

And Kise did. He told her everything. From the KaibaCorp audition, to meeting Mokuba and Kaiba at his game against Touo, to being invited to see KaibaCorp by Mokuba, dueling Kaiba and spending the night at their mansion.

“So, you _like_ him now.”

Kise choked on the strawberry milkshake he was drinking at Momoi’s comment. After a short coughing fit and several concerned looks from other people in the small ice cream parlor, Kise managed to get his coughing under control.

When he could breathe normal again, Kise was met by Momoi’s knowing gaze. There had been no question in her statement, she had spoken with the confidence of someone who doesn’t doubt the weight of their words.

“W-what?!” Kise tried to look surprised by her words as heat gathered in his cheeks, tried to deny her claim.

Momoi rolled her eyes.

“Kichan… I’m offended you think you can keep this from me. May I remind you who figured out your _last_ crush?”

Kise sighed as he leaned back against his chair, knowing she was right.

“You’re right Momocchi… I can’t keep anything from you,” Kise admitted.

“So… what else happened?” Momoi pried, this time an excited quality to her voice as she looked at Kise with bright eyes.

Once again, Kise was relieved to have someone that he was able to confide in, someone he could tell all his concerns and wants with.

“Okay so…” Kise leaned in, his voice quieter in a way that caused Momoi to also lean in at its conspiratorial tone.

“I think he and I had a moment…”

Kise told her about the cheesecake incident, the chemistry and pull he felt between them and about how he thought they might have kissed but were interrupted. He also told her about how Kaiba came to see his game a few days earlier, and how they had gone out to eat after, and their recent text exchanges.

“I just don’t know what to think of it. Kaibacchi is so sarcastic and hard to read. I’d like to believe that he’s even a little interested… what do you think Momocchi?”

Momoi was surprised that so much had happened in the little time since she had last seen Kise. She was also torn. On one hand, she was glad to see that Kise was happier than he had been in a while since the break-up with Aomine with his new crush on this Seto Kaiba. On the other hand, she was saddened that Aomine would lose Kise if he didn’t get his act together and confront Kise about the reasons behind their break-up and the feelings she knew Aomine still had for the blonde.

“Well Kichan… from what you’ve told me, it sounds like this Kaiba guy is a complex guy. He’s a CEO billionaire, and that makes me a little nervous,” Momoi started, a small frown of contemplation on her brow.

Kise blinked.

“Why’s that?”

Momoi bit her lip.

“Well think about it. He’s older, and runs a multi-billion company, dating him won’t be simple like it is dating someone our own age. Not to mention, being a public figure would complicate things, don’t you think? Japan isn’t exactly a supporter of same-sex relationships, and I can’t imagine a CEO willing to risk his reputation in that way. Not to mention that you’re technically still underage, even if you’re turning eighteen soon. That kind of scandal could ruin him if the wrong people found out. I know you and Daichan weren’t exactly public either, but you were the same age and I don’t think it’d be as easy to hide that kind of relationship with someone like Kaiba that might have a lot more eyes on him.”

Momoi paused, and Kise knew that she was right, he had briefly thought about some of those things too, but when it came to being gay in a mostly conservative and traditional country, it was things that he had known would always factor into whatever relationship he managed to find himself in. The fact that Kaiba was a major public figure, however, was certainly something that further complicated things.

It was the age difference that Kise hadn’t really thought about. He knew Kaiba was older sure, but he hadn’t considered that their age gap could be dangerous to Kaiba and his position. But like Momoi had pointed out, he would be turning eighteen soon. If things turned out that Kaiba _was_ interested, he was more than willing to wait until then for Kaiba’s sake.

“On the other hand,” Momoi began again, “It sounds to me that he _does_ seem interested in you. I mean, I honestly doubt a busy CEO would take time out of his day to come see one of your games and then have dinner with you, and he’s taking the time to text you back. Anyone who _didn’t_ like you would definitely be too annoyed with you and would have blocked your number by now,” Momoi said with a smile.

Kise chuckled.

“Gee, thanks Momocchi…” said with semi-offended pout on his face.

“And he is _cute_!” Momoi gushed, to which Kise’s demeanor brightened considerably.

“Isn’t he!” Kise replied, only to pause, “Wait… how do you know what he looks like?”

Momoi grinned.

“I saw you ditch us for him after your game, so naturally I got curious and did some research of my own,” Momoi revealed innocently, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Ah! That’s why you asked me to meet up in the first place! Did you already know who he was then?” Kise accused, pointing at the girl across from him.

Momoi grinned.

“I put some pieces together… and there was plenty of information on him online and through the company. It wasn’t hard to find if my hunch was right.”

Kise sighed, not exactly surprised when it came to Momoi. Gathering data was her forte after all.

“Well… did you find anything I might not know about? Something that should worry me?” Kise asked.

Momoi drank from her vanilla milkshake, a contemplative look on her face as she thought back to what she had gathered online. She was glad that Kise had confided in her and had told her everything. It made her feel better about the digging she had done to sate her own curiosity.

“Nothing in particular. He’s actually a pretty impressive guy as far as career goes. He’s only twenty five, but became CEO at age sixteen, came out with his holographic technology and revolutionized his company and gaming technology, has hundreds of patents under his name and company name and partnered with virtually every gaming company in some shape and form. He practically runs Domino City.”

Kise listened intently.

“As far as his personal life though, he seems to be a very private guy. I found nothing on his dating life, even though he’s considered one of Japan’s most eligible bachelors. He’s popular with the female population but no incriminating pictures that show he’s dated anyone, or even gone out on a date. The only pictures outside of work I found were with his brother and what seemed to be some high school friends. The only other thing I found was that his father went missing before he took over the company, and was later confirmed to have died. Which does sound a little fishy and maybe too convenient…”

Kise looked horrified at what Momoi was implying.

“Are you saying that he might have done something to his dad to take over the company?”

Momoi’s face sobered, looking far too serious for Kise’s liking.

“As your friend, all I want to say is that be careful. Some CEO’s are used to doing whatever it takes to get what they want, even if it means hurting people. Kaiba in particular seems like a very ambitious man, and his lack of friends and relationships makes me a little nervous. So just… make sure he’s the right guy before you pursue anything with him, okay?”

As Momoi’s words sunk in, Kise considered it.

There was truth in her words. Kise didn’t know anything about Kaiba. Everything that Kaiba shared with him was vague and evasive. He was stubborn, prideful, and seemed to have plenty to hide. He was good at using sarcasm and jading words to get to others and seemed to enjoy said words to talk people down. He was selfish, and egotistic.

By those traits alone, logic would dictate that Kise was bound to get hurt by becoming involved with someone like Seto Kaiba, even if he _was_ good looking and the two had chemistry.

But as Kise thought back to his weekend with Mokuba and Kaiba, as he thought back to what Mokuba had told him about their past, about the look in Kaiba’s eyes when he heard Mokuba’s laughter, about the way he had let Mokuba win, even the way he had talked about his rival... Kise instinctively knew that Kaiba wasn’t a bad person.

There was a reason for Kaiba’s coldness, a reason for why he kept others at bay.

Kise wanted to know why.

He wanted to understand the enigma that was Seto Kaiba.

* * *

Kaiba’s phone hadn’t alerted him of a text all day, and for what must have been the tenth time, Kaiba checked his phone to see if he had missed an alert.

It unnerved him, and that made Kaiba upset with the whole situation, especially himself.

Kise had been practically texting him every time he had some free time for over a week now, but today, already into the afternoon, Kaiba hadn’t received a single text from him.

Kaiba had never cared so much about his personal phone. It typically went ignored throughout the day, and Mokuba tended to call his work phone during the week and only called his cell phone if he didn’t answer his work phone.

Since Kise had started texting him however, his phone had been very lively, full of questions, pictures, videos, and more emoji’s than Kaiba had thought he’d ever see from a single person.

Kaiba knew that the only thing he should feel when it came to Kise’s persistence in wanting to talk to him was annoyance. He should have done nothing but ignore him, told him to stop his antics and put him in his place to stop pestering him.

The only thing was… Kaiba didn’t actually mind the onslaught of messages from Kise.

They broke the monotony that was his daily life. Even through his texts, Kise’s bright and cheerful personality shone through with his wording and amount of emoji’s in his texts. Kaiba didn’t think it was possible to project such energy through a simple message.

The nature of Kise’s texts also stirred something in him. The mundane questions that Kise asked him were refreshing. No one had really cared to know Kaiba’s favorite things or tried to make him laugh with idiotic videos of animals and online fad jokes. Even in high school, when he had been surrounded by peers who seemed to want to befriend him, his attitude had always done its job in keeping them at bay with an insult here and there.

He had always thought making friends was a waste of time. Friends wouldn’t help him achieve his goals. Friends weren’t the key to his future.

Even when it came to saving the world, Yugi’s friends had only ever tolerated him when they had to work together, and in those times, they didn’t hide their displeasure about it. It was no secret that they didn’t like him, and only worked with him out of necessity.

Only Yugi wasn’t put off by his attitude and seemed to genuinely care about his well-being.

He’d like to believe that Kise was the same way. That there weren’t ulterior motives behind his words.

But he also knew he’d be a fool to think so.

Kise’s auditions with his company would be in a week’s time. And it would be then that Kaiba would see if Kise’s intentions were truly sincere, or if everything up to this point was all a ploy to land a good paying job.

If that turned out to be the case, Kaiba would make sure to tarnish Kise’s reputation in the modeling industry beyond repair, so that he would pay the price for ever trying to cross Seto Kaiba and his family and company.

It was then that Kaiba’s phone beeped, letting him know he had received a text.

He was surprised to see that it wasn’t Kise, but Mokuba, and was even more surprised by the disappointment he felt when reading his brother’s name and not the name of a boy he had only just met.

Mentally berating himself for such a thought, Kaiba opened his brother’s text.

** _Mokuba 13:26_ **

** _‘Hey Seto! Call me in six hours if you can, I need your advice on something!’_ **

Because of the time differences between them, the two brothers had learned to talk in amount of time when it came to planning things like phone calls and video chats. It was quicker than having to remember what the time difference was depending on where he was in relation to each other.

He wondered what it could be that Mokuba needed advice on, but if he hadn’t called right away, he knew that it wasn’t an urgent matter.

Kaiba replied a quick affirmative before putting his phone down and returning his attention to the current project on his monitor. There was still a fair amount of work and calculations to be done before he could consider this project ready for production, but Kaiba knew he had most of it figured out and was confident that it would work in the end.

It was a whole hour and a half before his phone beeped again, but by the way it beeped two more times within a short amount of time was enough to let him know who they were from.

_ **Annoying Blonde 15:03** _

_ **Kaibacchi! Sorry for not texting earlier! I woke up late so I had to rush to school, got in trouble and had to do some extra chores and got my phone taken away for the day! It was awful! I actually had to listen in class! Then we had a test in math and I don’t think I did too well…** _

_ **Math is seriously the worst, it’s like a different language! But harder! Its an alien language! I swear by it!** _

_ **Anyway, did you miss me? I have practice soon so I expect a retelling of your day when I get out! Or if not, how’s the weather over there?** _

Seriously… this kid.

Despite himself, Kaiba found himself rereading Kise’s texts.

Why was he even apologizing? He didn’t owe Kaiba a text, much less an explanation. And yet he had still taken the time to message him and bombard him with emoji’s with each tale.

He hated that getting his messages made him feel relieved. Had he been worried that something had happened to the obnoxious blonde?

As much as he hated to admit it, he enjoyed the texts he received from Kise. They were ridiculous and melodramatic, but Kise never seemed offended or undeterred by his sarcastic and vague responses, he only tried harder to get a response from him.

More than once Kaiba had caught himself revisiting the pictures that he would send. Particularly the ones that featured Kise Ryota in several everyday poses. Some he sent before school, freshly out of bed, during lunch, before and after practice. And in each one, Kise was as photogenic as he was pretty in person.

Not only that, but Kaiba found himself thinking about the blonde more and more each day. It was an unwelcomed distraction when it came to his work. But no matter how often he tried to keep his thoughts from going back to him, he couldn’t help himself.

He found himself thinking back to the cheesecake incident, the look of Kise’s golden eyes so close to his own, the way his skin burned from the touch of Kise’s finger against his lip as he wiped away the lingering cheesecake, the way Kise’s lips looked so soft as his gaze strayed to them, and how Kise’s gaze burned into his own as he leaned in.

As he replayed the scene in his mind, Kaiba felt a sharp trill of desire in his core, followed by a flash of anger for the way his body reacted to just the thought of Kise.

Never had the mere thought of someone excited him so much.

The people he had taken to bed had always been people who had been around him at the right place and right time. People he had felt an attraction to and who had shown their interest in him during a fundraiser, gala, or some other kind of social business gathering that he had been invited to. They were instances where Kaiba had known that it would be a one-night stand to satiate his lust and never see them again, exactly how Kaiba preferred it.

Never before could Kaiba say he lusted after someone who he couldn’t have. At least, not quite yet. The fact that Kise was still underage and whose motivations Kaiba couldn’t fully trust meant that it was too dangerous to make any advances.

It made Kaiba ache, in a way he never had before. Kaiba always got what he wanted, but there were too many gray lines to cross.

Kaiba sighed, phone still in his hand, before his fingers typed out his reply.

_‘Idiot, you should always listen in class. Math makes more sense than you, just pay attention.’_

Kaiba purposely ignored Kise’s last questions, knowing it would annoy him. He could practically picture the pout on his lips.

Before Kaiba even sent his reply, he saw that Kise had sent him a picture.

It was a picture of Kise in a black tank top and a wink on his face, a peace sign held in front of him, and a content smile on his lips in what Kaiba could see was the gym of the school.

**Annoying Blonde 15:07**

** _‘We’re having a competition to see who can get the most baskets with only one hand, who do you think will win?’_ **

Perhaps though, it wouldn’t hurt to throw him a bone every once in a while.

_‘You, of course.'_


	18. The Audition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for Kise's audition with KaibaCorp.

Never had Kise Ryota ever been so nervous for an audition.

Then again, never had he been so emotionally invested in an audition, and never had he tried to represent a brand that he personally supported and felt an attachment to.

Not only that, but Kise was looking forward to what could happen _after_ the auditions. He had enlisted Mokuba’s help so that he could surprise Kaiba at work and hopefully make the best of his visit to Domino City.

As Kise sat in the company car on his way into the city, he unconsciously bounced his leg, making Anami next to him look over with concern on her face.

“You okay Kise? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this nervous before,” she spoke up in a soft inquisitive tone, causing Kise to break from his thoughts and look over to his manager, offering her a small smile.

“Ah, yeah don’t worry, I’ll be fine. I’m more nervous than I thought I’d be too, though,” Kise admitted.

Anami smiled back and placed a comforting hand over Kise’s still bouncing knee.

“Don’t worry, you’ll do great. You have the looks, the personality, you’re popular, and atop of that, you have knowledge of their product.”

Kise knew she was right. But it didn’t help that KaibaCorp was known for their ridiculously high standards, and just how competitive their compensation was. There was no doubt they would have many people interested in working with them, and although Kise knew he was popular, he wasn’t nearly as popular as other candidates he was sure would be here. After all, the fact that he had to audition instead of being offered a contract outright meant that he wasn’t guaranteed a slot.

Well, what was that American saying… Fake it till you make it!

With that in mind, Kise stopped the bouncing of his leg, straightened in his seat, and smiled confidently at Anami.

“No doubt!” he added, and Anami looked relieved at the confidence boost.

“Alright so review game plan, we should get there in about forty-five minutes, and that will give us another half hour before your scheduled audition block to make sure we’re at the right place and sign you in with time to spare. Depending on how many candidates are also in your audition block. They said it might run a little long, but if it’s a traditional interview they’ll just go over your portfolio, maybe ask you to pose, and ask you a few questions about your fan reach and demographics.”

_Traditional_ was the keyword. For some reason, it was hard to imagine KaibaCorp as being traditional, at least while it was led by none other than Seto Kaiba. Kise wouldn’t be surprised if KaibaCorp had something unexpected up their sleeve, but no matter what, he knew he had to do his best. Like Anami had said, he had the knowledge of Duel Monsters behind him, and he was confident that would give him an edge in whatever KaibaCorp threw at him.

He only hoped that would be enough.

* * *

Kaiba knew that today was none other than Kise’s audition block for the few remaining slots in his marketing campaign for idols and representatives. The biggest and most influential candidates had already been offered contracts, and the slots that Kise would be auditioning for were smaller scale candidates to further increase their reach on specific demographics and specifically for candidates that claimed to have a strong background in Duel Monsters but didn’t have the reach that other more popular idols had.

For these roles, Kaiba had introduced a slightly different approach to how to recruit the candidates, and after seeing that Kise would be among them, Kaiba was even more interested to see the outcome.

Initially, Kaiba hadn’t planned to oversee the outcomes, merely review the footage once it was done to see who had passed. Knowing that Kise would be there however, made Kaiba want to oversee the auditions personally, and his staff had been informed of the change in plans.

It was with that in mind that Kaiba rose from his office chair, before grabbing ahold of his briefcase atop his desk and making his way over to the elevator that would take him down to the floor where his staff and candidates would be waiting.

Kaiba chose to wear a suit for the occasion. It was a navy-blue Armati suit with a paler blue button up shirt and matching navy-blue vest and tie. He wanted to portray the intimidating figure that he was, after all, what was more amusing than seeing wannabe duelists shake with nerves when faced with Seto Kaiba, one of the best duelists in the world?

The auditions would be held in the eleventh floor, and it didn’t take Kaiba long for his own private elevator to come to a stop on the designated floor, and once the door opened, Kaiba began making his way to the large room that had been prepared for the event.

Said event would take place in three different rooms all connected by a door. In one room, the candidates would check in, likely where Kise currently was. Once each candidate was checked in, they would be led into the second room, where they would be placed into individual cubicles for the first part of the event. Once that was done, they would be led to third room, where in Kaiba’s opinion, the real fun began.

As Kaiba walked down the white colored hallways lined with large windows to his left and doors to the right, he turned down a familiar hallway until he reached his destination, stopping short of the black door and opening it to reveal the room with his staff waiting for him, checking to make sure everything was in order.

Seeing the young CEO enter the room, his staff straightened, greeting him politely while those in charge approached him to give their report.

Noticing the young woman in charge of the event, Kaiba turned his attention to the brown-haired woman in business attire and the tablet in her hands.

“Is everything ready?” Kaiba asked.

The woman nodded, and to her credit, looked only slightly nervous as she faced the intimidating figure of Kaiba.

“Yes sir, the candidates are all checked in. All preparations are complete, and everything is set to start at your word.”

Kaiba nodded.

“Good. Then let’s begin. No use in waiting any longer. Let’s find out who has what it takes to be a part of KaibaCorp’s new campaign.”

* * *

So far everything looked pretty standard to Kise as he and Anami waited alongside the other candidates. There were a few candidates that Kise recognized as prominent figures from social media and even a few that he had worked alongside in for some shoots.

The room they were in was full of chairs for the candidates, which faced a stage with a podium and a large screen behind it. It looked more like a presentation room, and considering they were in KaibaCorp headquarters, it made sense to have a presentation room of this size. There were less candidates than Kise thought there would be. If Kise were to estimate, he would say there were only about thirty-five other candidates. For an event of this caliber, Kise had thought there would be more. Then again, this was only one block, so there were sure to be other blocks as well.

He was currently making small talk with one of the models, and while they weren’t exactly friends with each other, had worked together for the same magazines and Kise had known would be here. His name was Takahara Kokei, two years older than him, with silver hair and wearing blue contacts. He wore black jeans with a black V-neck shirt and a dark gray blazer. He knew that Kokei had quite a following on social media and was even thinking about starting a career as a singer in a boy band and currently looking for potential band-mates.

“Are you sure you don’t want to be in my band Kise? I know you love to sing and I’ve seen videos of you dancing! You’ll be perfect!” Kokei said with a smile.

Kise smiled as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“I’m flattered Kokei, but I really don’t think being in a band is for me,” Kise replied, trying to sound more apologetic than he really felt. He really had no interest in being in a band. He had enough fan girls, why want more?

Thankfully, Kokei looked only a little dejected.

“Ah well, guess you’re going to pursue basketball?” Kokei asked, and Kise shrugged.

“I don’t know. I haven’t really decided yet. Right now I just want to make the auditions for KaibaCorp,” Kise admitted off handedly.

He really didn’t want to talk anymore. No offense to Kokei, but Kise hoped the auditions started soon. He hated making small talk with people he didn’t really associate with, and he hated being asked questions that he didn’t have answers to. The sooner the auditions began, the better. He wanted to get this over with.

As if to answer his silent wish, a door beside the stage opened, and in walked the last person Kise expected to see at the audition.

As the handsome man that Kise hadn’t been able to stop thinking about for weeks made his way to the center of the stage, Kise felt his heart skip a beat.

“Whoa, is that Seto Kaiba himself?” Kokei said from beside him, and from the muttering in the room, it seemed they weren’t the only ones to recognize the imposing figure of KaibaCorp’s CEO.

Shit.

He really hadn’t expected Kaiba to be at the audition at all! He hadn’t wanted him to know about his audition until he knew he had made it, he had wanted it to be a surprise…

Well, it couldn’t be helped. Kaiba was here, and it wouldn’t change the way Kise tackled this audition. If anything, Kise felt more fired up knowing that Kaiba would be overseeing them.

As Kaiba stood beside the podium looking down at them, Kise only smiled sheepishly as Kaiba raked his gaze across the room and the candidates, stopping for only a second longer on Kise before he looked at the rest of the room. Kise had never seen Kaiba in a suit before, but he had to admit that he wore it well. Without the flaring coat behind him, Kise could appreciate his figure better than ever, and it was obvious it was a custom fit suit from the way it perfectly contoured his figure. While always intimidating, the suit gave Kaiba a more authoritative presence.

In that moment, the screen behind him lit up, revealing the KaibaCorp logo.

“Welcome to the KaibaCorp auditions for our newest marketing campaign,” Kaiba began, his voice projected from a microphone that wasn’t visible on his person.

“My name is Seto Kaiba, the CEO of this company.”

Kise tried not to laugh, as if he really had to explain that.

“Let me begin by saying that this isn’t your typical auditions for a modeling gig,” Kaiba continued, and Kise could see some people straighten at the news. Kise for his part, couldn’t say he was surprised as he continued to listen intently.

“This audition block is reserved for those who claimed to have a background and knowledge of Duel Monsters, and the role of those chosen will be more than simple modeling and advertisement,” Kaiba announced, and Kise felt his interest piqued.

“While I can’t disclose the specific details as our plans are not yet public, know that it will in fact be a more involved role than some of you might be used to.”

From the corner of his eyes, he could see several heads turn to their manager as if to question what that could mean. Kise kept his own gaze trained on Kaiba.

“With that being said, the nature of this audition is not to know how well you _pose_, or how _pretty_ you look in pictures, but rather…”

Kaiba paused, and Kise had an idea of where he might be going with this.

“How well you duel.”

The previous silence was broken by the sound of whispers from the candidates.

“Well, I guess this is definitely not a traditional audition…” Anami muttered from beside him, but Kise couldn’t help but grin.

Dueling huh? Well if that was the case… Kise felt his chances had suddenly gotten better. But how would they measure their dueling ability? They hadn’t been asked to bring their cards or anything of the sort, and while Kise had indeed brought his deck in the case that he might be able to play against Kaiba again, he doubted many of the other candidates had.

“In order to gage your knowledge and ability, there are two parts to this audition.”

The screen behind Kaiba changed to a moving background of Duel Monster cards.

“In the folder given to you when you checked in, you’ll find a unique login and password. In the next room, you’ll find individual cubicles with a computer. You’ll use your login to access the computer, and open the only program installed. This program will be used to build your own deck, with which you will have every duel monster card ever created to choose from,” Kaiba explained, and Kise felt his excitement grow.

Every duel monster to choose from? They could practically build any kind of deck!

“This includes rare cards such as the lost Egyptian God cards and even my own Blue Eyes White Dragons. But don’t get too excited,” Kaiba cut in, “This is only a virtual deck, so don’t get attached.”

Kise frowned. While it was amazing that they could access any card, it also seemed odd that this would be used to gauge their ability. Anyone could create a decent deck if they could just pick the strongest cards. Why not make people make a deck from a limited number of cards to test their ability?

“You will have forty-five minutes to create your deck, and once you are finished, you will download your deck onto a flash drive provided for you next to your computer. After this step, the second stage will begin.”

Forty-five minutes? To choose from every card ever created? Kise wished he could have all day so that he could make his dream deck. Already Kise was thinking of all the cards he had ever wanted, and how to best put them together, before Kaiba continued and Kise forced himself to pay attention again.

“In the second stage, you will be paired up and will duel each other with the decks you’ll create, and the first ten winners will be the ones to secure a spot in our campaign.”

More whispers and mutterings rose up, and Kise grinned wider. A tournament style audition? Now this was what he was talking about! He didn’t know how well everyone else would be, but Kise was confident he would be among the winners. He had almost gotten the best of Kaiba in their duels, he knew he could handle anyone in this room if he could face Seto Kaiba himself.

“Any questions?” Kaiba asked, but no one rose their hands.

Kise did.

Kaiba’s gaze turned towards the blonde, who had a grin on his face.

“Will we be able to duel _you_ with the deck we make?” Kise asked, taking satisfaction in the way Kaiba smirked.

Kise knew that Kaiba understood the hidden challenge. Kise had come close to beating Kaiba with his own deck, which meant that if Kise could access any card he wanted, he just might be able to create a deck strong enough to defeat Kaiba.

“Perhaps, if I think your deck is good enough,” Kaiba answered, and more whispers rose up, excited this time.

Another hand shot up, by a guy Kise didn’t recognize.

“Will we be using your duel disks to duel?” he asked.

“Of course. It would be a shame to let them go to waste in the KaibaCorp headquarters.”

More excitement from the crowd. And Kise wasn’t an exception.

“Now, make your way to the next room through the door to your left, and build your deck!”

Kise looked over to Anami, who smiled reassuringly.

“Good luck, Kise.”

* * *

The computers in front of them were sleek and every bit of what Kise expected. There was no keyboard, and it was made evident that it was touchscreen. More than that however, when Kise pressed the screen, a holographic keyboard appeared where a normal keyboard would normally be found.

“So cool!” Kise muttered, before taking typing in the login and password given to him.

The computer unlocked, and on the computer screen only one icon was displayed on the center. It was shaped like the back of Duel Monsters card, which Kise immediately clicked on. As soon as he did, the screen changed to show a deck and what looked like a playmat design.

Keeping in mind that they were being timed, Kise quickly familiarized himself with the array. Clicking on the deck, another screen opened that showed all the cards ever made, which could be sorted by alphabetical order, card type, and could be filtered more specifically by stars, special effects, card attribute, and attack points and defense points. Clicking on a card would give the description and effects.

While Kise would love to explore every card, forty-five minutes would not be enough to build a proper deck with cards he didn’t know and had the chance to test. He wasn’t sure how good the rest of the candidates were, but he knew better than to underestimate anyone. Kuroko had taught him that well.

His best chance would be to build his best deck from his younger years, but add in cards he had only dreamed of ever possessing. Should he include an Egyptian God? As cool as it sounded, Kise knew summoning a card like that wouldn’t be easy.

No.

He would win without a card like that. Summoning a card like that could take a while, especially since he wasn’t familiar with a strategy. And the way Kaiba made it sound, it seemed that it wasn’t just the winners that would be chosen, but the ones that finished first. Which meant speed would also come into play. Still, he would need to focus on cards that could counter and protect him against extremely strong cards like that. That’s fine. Kise could think of plenty.

Kise closed his eyes, trying to remember all his favorite strategies from a time he had pushed to the back of his mind for years. It would take more than remembering what cards he had, but which would work best together and which he should add from the limitless arsenal that KaibaCorp had provided for them.

And with less than forty minutes, Kise needed to think fast but smart.

And it took every minute to complete his deck.

Kise diligently searched for each card, looked over cards he thought would work well with his combos, changed his mind, and did his best to create a strong and balanced deck within the allotted time.

Kise was practically sweating the last five minutes, but once the announcement that time was up was made and his deck was downloaded into the provided external drive, Kise was satisfied with the result. It was a good deck, perhaps his best deck ever. He was more than excited to test it out, and he was very confident that he could secure a spot in the campaign with this.

The announcer let them know to follow the directions of the staff waiting outside their cubicles, who pointed Kise down one of the halls between the cubicles, where already a few other candidates were walking down, until they reached the end of the hall where another staff member pointed them to a brown door along the way, where everyone else was converging on.

Kise followed suit, and once he entered the next room, and as his eyes widened, he knew he wasn’t the only one amazed by the sheer size of it. It was a room larger than even the room he had dueled against Kaiba in. It felt like two full sized basketball courts, with two levels to it with what looked to be a higher level that wrapped around the room like a balcony.

In the center or the white-walled two-story room, laid out on several long rectangular tables, were the same devices that Kise and Kaiba had used to duel each other only weeks prior.

“Welcome to your duel arena! And what you see on those tables are your weapons, duel disks!”

This time, Kaiba was on the second level, looking down over them as Kise's and everyone else's gaze traveled up to him.

“Before you can claim a duel disk, however, you must give your deck to one of the staff members. Your decks will be digitized and transmitted to a duel disk.”

As Kaiba explained, his staff members were already moving around the room, and as one came by Kise with his hand outstretched, Kise handed over the external drive that held the deck he created.

In exchange however, the staff member gave Kise a strip of paper with a number, and Kise blinked as he read the number 113 on the strip.

“While we download your decks, the number given to you is the number of the duel disk assigned to you. Find and pick up your duel disk, and a staff member will help you set it up on your person. Just make sure not to break anything.”

There were several excited cheers and mumbles as the candidates who had received their number moved towards the tables, Kise being among them as he approached the nearest table. Thankfully it looked like they were clearly labeled, and following the numbers, Kise only had to go two tables down before finding the table with his duel disk.

With a grin, Kise grabbed the familiar disk and moved away from the table to make space for those still looking for theirs and found an empty space where he put it on like he remembered Mokuba telling him. It was fairly simple really, but as he watched others in the room, it looked like there were several candidates who still needed help.

As Kise waited, he looked up to where the figure of Kaiba was, only to see that he was gone, and Kise couldn’t help but pout with disappointment.

Kise wasn’t sure how Kaiba felt about his being here. Since he was hosting the event, surely Kaiba had known that Kise was in the roster. But he hadn’t brought it up.

Either way, this was the most fun audition Kise had ever had. It wasn’t traditional by far, but he was reminded of a mini tournament. He was more curious than ever how their dueling would play into KaibaCorp’s plan to market their product.

It felt like ten more minutes had passed before Kaiba reappeared at the spot he had previously occupied, standing tall and hands crossed across his chest, while the tables were cleared away.

“Alright so-called Duelists. Your decks have been digitized and transmitted. Now, if you look at the screens around the room, they will show who you have been matched up against by your duel disk number.”

There were several screen along the walls of the room, each depicting sixteen pairs.

Kise was quick to find his number, and saw that he was paired against number 124. Kise didn’t recognize the accompanying picture. It was of a black-haired guy, but not with enough detail that Kise could make an opinion of him.

“Next to your duel match, you’ll see your designated area where your duel will take place. There are sixteen areas, if they are designated to the lower floor, it will have an A next to it. If it’s on the second level, it will have a B next to it. Find your area and opponent so we can get these duels started.”

Kise's area was 6A, which meant he wouldn’t have to go far to find his area. Signs were held up by staff members, and Kise approached the older woman that held 6A.

The area was clearly marked by a red line that enclosed the area into a rectangle enough to give them space for the hologram projections that Kise had only recently experienced for the first time in person.

The sight and anticipation made Kise’s heart beat faster, and Kise confidently entered one side of the rectangle, readying his duel disk and resolve as he waited for his opponent.

Thankfully, it didn’t take his opponent long, as only a moment later he approached. He looked a little lost at first, still looking around the room instead of at Kise, giving time the opportunity to get a better impression of him.

He was shorter than Kise, which was often the case since few people were taller than him. The boy was likely older, but it was hard to tell, and his fashion was as expected of a model. He wore a pair of white skinny jeans, black high-tops, and a long shirt that reached almost to his knees with a high collar.

Finally, the boy turned gaze to Kise’s, and offered a small smile and a wave.

“Yo! You’re Kise Ryota right?” he asked, his voice deeper than Kise expected from his extremely boyish appearance.

Kise was a little surprised to know that he knew him, considering that their names hadn’t been on the screens, only their numbers.

“Ah yes, I am. Sorry, but I don’t know your name,” Kise replied sincerely.

“My name is Kaito, but feel free to call me Kai,” the boy across from him replied, not looking the least bit offended that Kise didn’t recognize him and offered him a bright smile instead.

Kise blinked, a little put off that this person he didn’t know wanted to be so familiar upon first meeting him.

“I’m actually a fan of yours Kise,” Kaito said, “You’re one of the modelsthat inspired me to go into this field, but I didn’t expect to see you here! The fact that you duel too just makes you cooler!”

Despite himself, Kise couldn’t help but feel a little flattered at his words.

“Ah, well thank you for your support. I’m looking forward to dueling you,” Kise said with a grin of his own.

As they waited for the next set of instructions, the two made small talk. From the looks of it, Kise got the impression that Kai was pretty good when it came to duel monsters. He seemed to have also participated in tournaments in the past and had a solid knowledge of deck strategies. The two purposely avoided their own chosen strategies, but from what they spoke of, Kise knew that his duel against his opponent would be a fun one.

“You seem to know your way around a deck Kai, I wish we could have dueled in the past when I had my best decks,” Kise said.

“Ah well, it’s better late than never. And in a place like this? You have to admit, meeting in KaibaCorp isn’t a bad way to duel for the first time,” Kai replied, and Kise couldn’t help but agree.

“Alright, listen up!”

Their conversation was cut short at the familiar and commanding voice of none other than Kaiba, who once more occupied the spot that overlooked them.

“Now that you are all matched up, it’s time to duel!” Kaiba said, and at his words, the duel disks on them glowed to life.

“You will start with 8000 life points, and the first ten winners will be the ones accepted into the new KaibaCorp Campaign. However, there will also be a time limit. If you have not won in twenty-five minutes, the duelist with the most life points will be considered the winner.”

There were chatter in the air, and Kise felt himself smile with excitement.

“Oh, and one more thing… those decks that you made? I never did say they would be used by you…” Kaiba added in an almost taunting tone, and the implications of his words made the chatter in the air increase.

“In fact, you’ll be playing with a random deck made by another participant. Let’s see how well you can adapt to a deck you didn’t make,” Kaiba elaborated, and Kise felt his heart sink.

He wouldn’t get to use his deck? He would be using a deck that someone else made? But he had worked so hard to put that deck together! It was near perfect! And now… someone else would be using it? It made Kise’s blood boil.

“But don’t worry, I won’t be so cruel as to let you have no say. In fact, you’ll have fifteen minutes to look over the deck given to you, and you have the option to replace five cards of your choosing with any other cards, and discard any cards you don’t want while keeping your minimum of twenty.”

With a quick look around, Kise could tell that he wasn’t the only one to feel disappointed by this turn of events.

“Let’s see what you can do. Your fifteen minutes to look over your deck and make your strategy starts now!”

With those words, a holographic time appeared behind Kaiba, who turned around and walked out of sight.

Kise grit his teeth as he activated his duel disk and opened up the virtual deck. He needed to see what cards he had to work with, and what strategy its maker had chosen.

While Kise wasn’t happy with the turn of events, he had to appreciate Kaiba’s way of testing its applicants. Had Kise been able to play with his deck, he would have been confident in his victory… but now… his confidence was shaken with the knowledge that he would be working with an unfamiliar deck, and angry that someone else would be using his.

Kise’s heart sunk further as he looked over the deck given to him.

“What is this?!” Kise whispered to himself.

This deck was complete garbage! Just from a quick look over, Kise was able to see that there was no set strategy to this deck. This was the deck of an amateur! The ratios were completely off, the monsters looked like they were picked by looks alone and there was hardly enough firepower to take on a potentially powerful deck. There were hardly any combos that could be used, and hardly any spell or trap cards.

“Shit…” Kise cursed as he forced himself to concentrate.

Not only was he not able to use his perfect deck, but he was given a deck that looked to have been made by a someone that had no idea what duel monsters were! What an insult! Kise sure had a lot to yell at Kaiba for after this…

Still, now was not the time to despair. He needed to think of a way to turn his luck around. How could he make this deck worthy of a victory?

Think Kise… think…

Monsters weren’t the issue. In fact, he had too many. He needed to replace some with some spell and trap cards. But with only being able to exchange five… Kise needed to think quick and hard. What strategy could best be used to give him an edge in such a hopeless situation?

He really hoped that Kai had just as bad luck as he did…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I managed to finished the duel that was bugging me so I decided to just post because I'm eager for what comes after. I'll definitely be updating pretty frequently now. I'm so excited to show you guys what I have up my sleeve!


	19. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The decisive battle that will determine if Kise is worthy of being a part of the KaibaCorp campaign, and its aftermath.

Kise had never felt so out of his comfort zone as he did then. To think... that he had gone from the excitement of looking forward to using his dream deck to the dread of using a useless and pathetic deck.

But no... he shouldn’t say that. His five additional cards had made sure to at least give him a fighting chance... all he could do was hope that fate was on his side and he could draw the cards he needed at the right time.

Kise hated to rely on luck... he preferred a solid strategy over the aspect of chance when it came to Duel Monsters... but it seemed today was not going to be that day.

“Alright Kise, are you ready?” Kai asked with a grin as they stood on opposite ends of the duel area, and Kise tried to hide his unease. At the very least, he had to at least pretend his deck was worthy if only to bluff. Unfortunately, his deck would not hold out against an aggressive attack. He needed to make Kai believe Kise had plenty of counters so he could be on the cautious side.

“Born ready!” Kise replied with his own grin, and as all duelists stood on their respective areas, the monitors scattered around the room lit up to display a timer set up to twenty-five minutes.

Kaiba looked down at the area, and smirked as he watched the duelists put on their game face as they faced their opponent. He truly had missed this part of tournaments. The tension between opponents, the anticipation of the next play, the fear of defeat, and the pursuit of victory.

And this was only the beginning of his plans.

“Alright duelists, your duel disks are ready, and the countdown starts now! Get ready, set, duel!”

At Kaiba’s command, the timer began.

“Let’s duel!” a chorus of the voices from the players familiar with the game coursed through the large room as they drew their cards. It had been previously chosen who would go first, and Kise would be going second for this duel.

Kise preferred to go first, so already things were not in his favor.

“Alright Kise, here we go! I start with this, pot of duality!” as Kai pressed the holographic panel, the blue pot with a face on both sides materialized on the field, “And with this, I can look at the top three cards of my deck, choose one, and return the rest!”

The jar on the field spit up three virtual cards in front of Kai, and when Kai chose one, the other two returned to the jar, and the deck was virtually shuffled as Kai grinned victoriously.

“Now, I play Reinforcement of the Army, to draw out a level four or lower monster from my deck and add it to my hand.”

Kise frowned as he realized what Kai was doing. He was digging for the appropriate cards, which meant he was preparing to summon something big… and Kise wasn’t sure if he was prepared for it.

“Now, I summon Nin-Ken Dog, in attack mode!”

Kise resisted the urge to grimace. At 1800 attack points, this ninja dog was no picnic… and with the cards that Kise had been given, he lacked the firepower to take it on.

“Alright Kise… your turn!”

Kise frowned as he drew a virtual card, and hid his disappointment at the useless card he drew. He had drawn all monsters for his opening hand, and all were too weak to take on Kai’s monster.

“I place a monster face down in defense mode, and end my turn.”

Kai looked surprised at Kise’s move.

“What’s wrong Kise? Did you get a bad deck?” Kai asked with a taunting grin, but Kise refused to fall for the bait.

“Well Kai, it’s still early in the duel. Don’t you think its too soon to tell?” Kise replied back with a smirk.

“You’re right… sorry, there’s plenty of time to see what deck you got. Now… I summon Goe Goe the Gallant Ninja!”

Kise frowned as the blue-haired ninja carrying a strange weapon on a pole materialized on the field.

“Alright Kise, I’ll attack your face down card with Nin-Ken Dog!”

The ninja dog lunged towards his face down card, taking out some hidden kunai daggers on its person and slashing through his face down card, destroying his Mermaid Knight and leaving Kise defenseless.

“And now Goe Goe, attack Kise directly!”

Kise grimaced as the ninja lunged at him, and hit him with his strange weapon, and while Kise didn’t feel any pain for the blow, his life points certainly did, as they dropped to 6500.

“Not only do you lose life points, when Goe Goe successfully attacks you directly and you have four or more cards in your hand, you discard two random cards from your hand!”

With a grimace, Kise randomly discarded two cards, not that it was much of a loss considering how weak his hand was.

“Alright, that does it for now. Let’s see if you can do better this turn, Kise.”

Kise felt dread settle in the pit of his stomach as he drew his card, and this time he couldn’t hide his grimace as he drew another useless monster card.

With a sigh, Kise decided he might as well let Kai know his dumb luck.

“Sorry Kai, it looks like whoever made my deck should have stayed home, and I wish I could give you a better challenge. Unfortunately, the most I can do right now is play this, another face down defense card, and end my turn.”

Kai blinked at Kise’s admission, before he drew his next card.

“Ah, well that really is a shame. But maybe after I win this round, we can play a match with our own decks afterwards.”

Kise felt his stomach turn at Kai’s confidence that he would win, and he forced himself to remember that he still had some tricks up his sleeve.

“Well Kise, for this round, I’ll go ahead and attack your face down card with Goe Goe!”

The blue-haired ninja swiftly attacked his face down card, and his Wolf card was easily destroyed. Kise had to admit that Kai was indeed smart. Since he only had three cards in his hand, Goe Goe’s special ability wouldn’t activate, so why not attack directly with Nin-Ken Dog who could deal more damage? Damn, of course he had to be paired up against a good duelist.

Goe Goe destroyed his face down Wolf card, and as expected used his other monster next.

“Go Nin-Ken Dog, attack him directly!”

Kise grimaced as the ninja dog attacked, and it was a good thing that it seemed he wasn’t able to put down another monster yet, or his life points would have suffered even more. Still, they dropped to 2900, which meant Kise couldn’t withstand much more. He needed one of his cards… and fast…

“Alright, Kise, you’re up!”

Kise didn’t answer, and took in a steadying breath, closing his eyes as he virtually drew.

_C’mon Fate… be on my side for once!_

Kise opened his eyes to look at what he had drawn, and smiled. It wasn’t what he needed… but it would help.

“Alright Kai, I know you’ve been working towards something. So I’ll do this to buy some time!”

Kai looked apprehensive, but said nothing as he waited for Kise’s move.

“I activate Card Destruction! And I’m sure you know what that means!” Kise said as he pointed at Kai, who looked far to unconcerned for Kise’s liking.

“Actually, that shouldn’t be a problem. In fact, you’ve probably helped me more than you’ve hurt me with that move.”

Kise frowned as they both discarded their hand and drew again. What did Kai mean by that?

And as Kise drew two new cards, he smirked at the cards he drew. Perhaps fate was on his side after all…

“Heh, you’re actually making me nervous Kai!” Kise teased as he set a monster face down in defense mode, and placed a face down card in the spell and trap card zone.

“So let’s do this! Your turn!”

Kai definitely did not look bothered, and the easy grin on his face remained.

“Well Kise, I can honestly say thank you for helping me to bring out my best monster so quickly.”

Kise tensed.

“Behold! I special summon Dark Simorgh! By banishing a wind and dark attribute monster from my graveyard, I can bring forth my creature! So come forth my monster!”

Kise grimaced as the large dark and armored bird like monster appeared on the field, and with an attack of 2900, Kise’s lifepoints would be wiped out if his plan didn’t work…

Thankfully… it looked like Kai had grown overconfident, because instead of playing something to ensure his victory by paying attention to his face down card, he continued to his attack phase.

“Now Kise, time to win this duel… and probably in record time! First, I’ll attack your face down card with Goe Goe!”

Just as Goe Goe’s attack landed, Kise smirked as his Giant Germ card was revealed.

“Thank Kai! Because you fell right into my trap! You triggered my Crush Card Virus!”

Kise revealed his other face down card, and finally, Kai did look concerned.

“Now, by activating my trap card, you trigger its effect! Which means that all monsters in your hand and on the field with attack power over 1500 attack points is destroyed! So guess what? That’s all of them! And let’s take a look at your hand.”

Kise watched in satisfaction as Kai’s face fell as he watched his monsters on the field be destroyed, and he revealed the cards in his hand. Surprisingly enough, there was only one other monster in Kai’s hand that had the required attack power, but off it went to the graveyard as well.

“And don’t forget to destroy the monsters from your deck with the required attack power too! Oh yeah… and did I mention that when Giant Germ is destroyed you also lose 500 life points?”

Once more Kai frowned as his monsters were sent to his graveyard.

“I end my turn.”

Kise felt his heart beat with excitement at his devastating blow. Take that whoever built his deck! The right cards could always make the difference. Still… Kise knew that he still had a ways to go. With hardly any attack power, and with Kai still having most of his life points, this did not mean he was any closer to winning. He had bought time… that was all.

Kise drew, and smiled. Perfect. Just what he needed.

“Alright Kai, I activate pot of greed, which lets me draw two more cards!”

Kise drew his cards.

“Next, I’ll place a monster face down on the field!”

It was one of the few monsters in the original deck that Kise had found useful, and exactly what he needed for the next phase of his plan.

“But that’s not it, I activate this! Confiscation! By paying 1000 life points, I can look at your hand, and banish one card!”

As Kise’s life points dropped to 1900, Kai looked apprehensive as he revealed his hand, and Kise was glad for having this particular card as he chose to discard a spell card that would have ruined his plan in the next round, and definitely cost him the duel.

“Alright Kai, that’ll be it for now… show me what you can do!”

Kai was glaring now, and Kise could see that he was not happy at all about what Kise had done. He would definitely be more cautious now, but that was okay… the bluffing part was over, now Kise knew what he had to do.

“You might have made me destroy my monsters… but it doesn’t mean I can’t bring them back! I activate my face down card, Warrior Returning Alive, and bring back one of my discarded warrior monsters back to the field! And I choose Nin-Ken Dog, which I also summon to the field!”

Kise grinned, unconcerned, and his heart beat excitedly in his chest. He knew from having looked at Kai’s cards that he had no way from stopping his next move. He could see that Kai was apprehensive about his next play, but every good duelist knew that risks had to be taken in order to win, and since Kise only had 1900, Kise knew Kai would attack.

It’s what he was counting on…

“Alright Nin-Ken Dog… attack his face down monster!”

Kise’s face down monster flipped up, to reveal Big Eye.

“Thanks for that Kai, because now Big Eye’s effect activates, and lets me look up to five cards from the top of my deck and rearrange them however I want!”

Kise did exactly that, and grinned as his plan further solidified.

Kai glared at Kise.

“I don’t know what you have planned Kise, but I won’t let you do it! I place two cards face down, and end my turn!”

Kise grinned as he looked at the card he drew, although he didn’t need to.

“Alright, take a look at this Kai! This is how I turned a useless deck into a decent one, and just strong enough to defeat you!”

Kai frowned as he looked at Kise expectantly.

“I activate my card, Reverse Quiz!”

Kai’s eyes widened.

“No!”

Kise chuckled as the funnily dressed man on a podium materialized on the field.

“So you know of it? Good! And because I have no other cards in my hand or on the field, it’s all gain from this card! Because now I can call the card on the top of my deck, and if I get it right… I get to exchange my life points for yours!”

Kai frowned.

“But… you already know what card it is!”

Kise smiled victoriously.

“That’s right! Thanks to Big Eye’s effect, I know exactly what my next four draws will be! And I say the card on top of my deck is a spell card!”

The man on the podium revealed the card, and Kise’s answer was correct, which meant its effect was activated and Kise and Kai exchanged life points, so that Kise now had 7500 and Kai had 1900.

Kai looked absolutely furious as their life points were switched, and Kise only stood straighter with pride.

“Well, that ends my turn.”

“This makes no difference! I’ll just chip away at your life points and win the duel!” Kai said as he drew another card.

“I activate my face down card, another Reinforcement of the Army, to draw out a level four or lower monster from my deck to my hand! I also place one monster face down in defense mode!”

“And don’t forget you’re defenseless, Kise! So attack, Nin-Ken Dog!”

Kise hardly made a show of indifference as his life points dropped to 5700. It was a hit he would gladly take now that he had more life points to spare.

“I promise you, by my next turn you’ll see that no matter how clever your plan, it won’t work!”

Kise frowned, but tried not to let Kai’s words get to him as he focused on his own plan. He had an idea of what Kai was planning, and he had no intention of letting that work.

“We’ll see about that. Because here we go! I draw!”

Kise already knew what his next draw would be.

“I play card of Sanctity, which lets us replenish our hand to six cards! But don’t get comfortable because this helps me more than it helps you! Watch this! From my hand I play this; finite cards! So that we can only have three cards in our hand at a time, so that’s right, discard all but three cards Kai!”

Kai frowned, but did as instructed.

“Now, I activate all remaining three cards in my hand! Watch this! First, I activate Swords of Burning Light! So that as long as I have no monsters on the field, your monsters can’t attack! Next, I’ll activate Deck Shutdown! Which means that neither of us can draw for two turns, or special summon any monsters! And the final piece… I activate wave motion cannon!”

Kai gasped audibly.

“No way! Impossible!”

Kise grinned.

“That’s right. I’ve won Kai!”

Kise watched in satisfaction as they both skipped their turns twice each as they had nothing to play.

“By doing all of this… I prevent you from attacking me, I keep you from special summoning Dark Simorgh like I knew you planned on doing next turn, and my cannon powers up to just the amount of power I need to wipe out the rest of your life points!”

Kise almost felt bad at the lack of utter devastation on Kai’s face.

“So now here we are, and I have just the amount of power I need to win. By sending my cannon to the graveyard after the two turns, you lose 2000 lifepoints, just enough to end this duel!”

“No!”

As Kise’s cannon fired directly at Kai, the blinding light made Kai fall to the ground in defeat as his life points reached zero.

Kise felt himself relax once he knew that there really was nothing that Kai could do against his plan. If his face down had been a saving grace… Kise would have probably lost.

“Oh man… this was such a scary duel…” Kise mumbled to himself as he felt the tension leave his body, before he took in a deep breath and walked across the duel arena to Kai who was looking down at the ground.

“Good game Kai, that was tough…” Kise said as he reached out towards that young man.

Kai looked up at Kise’s encouraging smile and hand, and after only a moment and a sigh of acceptance, took Kise’s hand as the taller blonde helped him up.

“Are you kidding… that was insane… how on earth did you manage that combo?” Kai asked as he rubbed the back of his head.

“To be honest… all I can say is pure luck. That deck was mostly awful… the fact that those cards aligned like that… well… luck is the only thing I can say saved me,” Kise grinned sheepishly, and Kai frowned.

“The way you say that pisses me off…” at the affronted look on Kai’s face made Kise blink.

“You’re saying I lost my chance to work for KaibaCorp because of dumb luck? That’s annoying…”

Kai let out a sigh of exasperation and turned to look around at the duels still going on. They were actually one of the first to finish it seemed, and that only made Kai even more upset.

“Still… the fact that you were able to win without ever attacking me with a monster is pretty amazing… and the fact that you were able to think of that combo was impressive too… not just anyone could do that…”

Kise smiled.

“Well, if it makes you feel better… I didn’t expect it to work out so well. I still had another plan after this… you would have still lost even if I hadn’t done it this way.”

Kai looked at Kise with surprise, before he burst out laughing.

“Oh man you’re killing me!” Kai continued to laugh heartily, and now Kise wasn't sure if he had said the wrong thing.

“But you know what… it does make me feel better. You really are an incredible duelist! I guess if I was going to lose, I’m glad it was to someone who knows what they’re doing.”

Kai extended his fist out, and Kise grinned as he bumped it with his own.

“Let’s play again sometime!”

* * *

Kise had won.

That had been a miracle, but Kise was happy that he had played his cards right and secured a spot with KaibaCorp.

Before Kise had left, they had explained that Kise would have to return in a week to sign his contract and go over exactly what his role would be while working with KaibaCorp. Kise was looking forward to it.

But more than that, Kise was looking forward to his next plan.

With a win over his shoulders, Kise felt more confident in what he planned for next.

He had already contacted Mokuba to confirm their plans, and everything seemed to be in order.

Kaiba had left after the duels had ended, and it was the rest of his staff who took over and explained what would happen next. And according to Mokuba’s intel, Kaiba was already in his office.

While Kise was disappointed that Kaiba hadn’t waited around and pulled him away, Kise hoped that it was to keep things strictly professional.

That was fine, Kise was more than willing to make the next move.

He had already given Anami instructions to go get lunch without him, since he had lunch plans with another idol and that they would meet up after.

It was a lie of course, but he couldn’t tell Anami that he was really going to see the CEO himself. Like Momoi had pointed out, his interactions with Kaiba should be kept as private as possible to make sure his reputation wasn’t hurt in anyway, especially considering what Kise had planned next.

Today was the day Kise would find out if Kaiba felt the same attraction that Kise felt for him.

With that in mind, Kise followed the instructions that Mokuba had given him that would lead him to the private elevator reserved for the brothers. Mokuba had given him a temporary access code that would let him use it, and Kise hoped to surprise Kaiba, if that was even possible. Since Kaiba knew that he was here, it would certainly dull the surprise that Kise had initially planned.

* * *

Kaiba was surprised that he hadn’t yet received a string of texts from Kise after the result of his duel and his marketing campaign.

He had to hand it to the kid, to have pulled off a win despite the odds against him. Kise Ryota was certainly a talented duelist, that was for certain. It had been the most worthwhile match he had witnessed, and while entertaining, certainly made him question other aspects of his plans.

As Kaiba was lost in thought behind his desk, an unexpected ding made him look up in the direction of his elevator that was currently shown to be moving, causing Kaiba to frown.

Who could be using his personal elevator? He certainly wasn’t expecting anyone.

Guard up, Kaiba waited for the elevator to come to a stop, body coiled in case he needed to make any sudden movements. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time someone came after his life.

When the elevator came to a stop however, and the door opened to reveal who was inside, Kaiba relaxed.

“Yo, Kaibacchi!”

Hand raised in greeting, there stood none other than Kise Ryota and his stupidly bright smile.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at the blonde, thinking that he looked far too at home for someone that showed up uninvited.

“Well well, looks like my security is lacking. Who should I fire for letting you into my office so easily?” Kaiba asked, not bothering to greet him.

Kise only grinned wider.

“Ah, no need to be rash Kaibacchi, I just happen to know the perfect person for an infiltration mission like this,” Kise replied, stepping out of the elevator and into the large office.

Kaiba resisted the urge to roll his eyes, knowing exactly who the only person that would have the access to give to someone like Kise was.

Before he could voice his thought however, Kise whistled as he looked around the room.

“Neh Kaibacchi, this is a really nice office…”

Rather than approach Kaiba directly, Kise began to walk around the room, towards the small kitchenette tucked into the corner of his office, around the table and couch that Mokuba had often occupied while Kaiba worked, only to pause at the large windows and the view they offered.

Kaiba took in the look of awe on Kise’s face as he stared out into Domino City, the way the sun brightened his already golden eyes and caused his pale skin to glow as he placed a hand against the glass.

“Wow, it’s beautiful…” had Kaiba not been paying attention, he probably wouldn’t have heard Kise’s words of admiration.

Kaiba sighed.

“I didn’t think I needed to have a talk with my little brother about the importance of not letting strangers into my office,” Kaiba said, and Kise turned his attention towards him, a pout on his face.

“I hardly think I should be considered a stranger at this point Kaibacchi… Mokubacchi did me a huge favor my letting me pay you a surprise visit. Please don’t be mad,” Kise defended, moving closer to Kaiba until he was in front of his desk and leaning his body against it.

“And what exactly do you want from this visit?” Kaiba asked, raising an eyebrow and looking expectantly at the younger man in front of him, who only grinned sheepishly and shrugged.

“I just wanted to see you while I was in town, it’s been a while after all, and I thought it’s be nice to see how a CEO worked. And boy, am I not disappointed,” Kise replied, giving the room another once over.

“Is that why you didn’t tell me you would be auditioning for my company?” Kaiba asked, leaning back against his chair and giving Kise a piercing gaze with his blue eyes.

Kise smiled sheepishly and fidgeted under his stare.

“You could say that… I didn’t want to say anything in case I didn’t get the part. It would have been too embarrassing...” Kise admitted, “I really didn’t expect you to be a part of the auditions, though, so you surprised _me_!”

“This was the only audition block that interested me since it was the only one that involved dueling. Congratulations on getting the part,” Kaiba said, and Kise found himself blushing despite himself.

“Thanks, I was really nervous for a second. Did you see the horrible deck I got? That was torturous Kaibacchi! I don’t know who made the deck, but I really hope they didn’t win and get a part.”

“Hn,” Kaiba said. Making a show of going back to work on his computer and ignoring the blonde.

Kise only grinned before walking around the desk so that he was standing behind Kaiba, peeking over his shoulder and into the screens he was currently immersed in. The fact that Kaiba hadn’t kicked him out told Kise he wasn’t really bothered by his visit.

But those thoughts were momentarily forgotten as Kise took a moment to simply watch Kaiba work. The way he maneuvered between multiple screens, the way he manipulated diagrams Kise couldn’t begin to understand, work on formulas and algorithms that reminded Kise of the very subject that gave him hell in school with ease.

“You know Kaibacchi….” Kise spoke up, leaning closer behind Kaiba so that one of his hands was behind the chair he was sitting on and his face practically next to Kaiba's.

“It’s really not fair to be both smart _and_ good-looking…” Kise's tone was teasing, but it gave Kaiba pause as his eyes flickered in Kise's direction.

“You’re one to talk, for a model and basketball prodigy,” Kaiba replied, and it caused Kise to perk up.

“Oh? Is that a compliment I hear?” Kise replied, his heart beating faster in his chest.

Kaiba scoffed as his hands returned to typing on his computer.

“Please. I’m only stating the obvious. I don’t flirt with underage kids.”

At this, Kise perked up even more. He knew that what he said next could potentially change the course of their interactions. Now his heart was practically hammering in his chest.

“I didn’t think you knew how to flirt at all Kaibacchi… but does that mean you’ll flirt with me once I’m eighteen?”

Kise took delight in the way that Kaiba once more paused in his work, and this time, actually turned his chair so that he could have a better look at Kise who was now leaning over him as one hand rested atop his chair.

Kaiba for his part, knew that this was dangerous territory. He could see what Kise was doing, and worse yet, knew it was working. His proximity over him made him take in the scent of his cologne, and the way he bore down on him with darkened and hooded eyes gave Kaiba a sharp thrill of desire. It would be so easy… to stand up and push him up against his desk.

But no. He couldn’t. He knew there were too many lines he wasn’t willing to cross.

Still, his pride wouldn’t let him let Kise get the best of him.

So instead of returning to work, he made sure to give Kise a long and obvious once over, letting his eyes slowly travel down his body and up again, only to meet his golden gaze with his own icy blue eyes and letting a slow and confident smirk form on his lips.

“Perhaps…if I’m tempted enough,” Kaiba replied.

Kise couldn’t help the way his heart skipped a beat, and couldn’t fight back the blush that gathered on his cheeks as those words made him more flustered than anything had in a while. The iciness of Kaiba’s stare made Kise’s blood pump faster, made him feel hot in the most torturous way, and Kise had to bite back a groan.

Kise felt as if he was in a daze, the desire coursing through his system clouding his judgement as his body leaned even closer to Kaiba, so that his lips were next to his ear.

“It’s a good thing I turn eighteen in two weeks then,” Kise whispered against his ear, voice husky and heavy with desire.

At the feel of Kise’s breath against his ear, Kaiba shivered, his body tensing as he tried to reign in his own desire.

“But two weeks seems like such a long time…” Kise added in an even more husky voice, only this time, Kaiba felt him lean closer and tilt his head lower and held back what would have been a groan at the feather like touch of Kise's nose against his neck.

Not being able to stop himself, and not wanting to let Kise have the upper hand, Kaiba rose from his seat, pushing Kise back so that he was trapped between him and the desk, hands on either side of his hips and one of his legs between Kise's.

This time, it was Kaiba that whispered into Kise's ear.

“I'd be careful if I were you, _Kise._”

Kise shivered and bit his lip as he listened to Kaiba say his name for the first time since they first met over a month before, knowing he knew what he was doing since he made sure to say his name in a slow drawl.

“You’re playing with fire...”

As Kaiba hovered over him, Kise felt impossibly aroused and vulnerable. The way that Kaiba had trapped him, he could feel one of his thumbs against his hip, and the way Kaiba's leg rested between his legs and so close to his half-hard erection made him breathless.

Through the haze, Kise couldn’t fully grasp the situation, but he did know that if Kaiba hadn't already pushed him away, it was a good thing.

It gave him the confidence to push himself off the desk slightly so that their bodies were even closer, and to trail his hand up Kaiba's torso, taking delight in how Kaiba tensed under his fingers.

“What if I said I like playing with fire?” Kise whispered, his gaze fixed on Kaiba’s blue eyes, enjoying the excitement he felt when Kaiba’s gaze strayed to his lips.

“You know…” Kaiba said, “I really didn’t expect you to win your match.”

Kise was a little taken aback by the sudden change in topic, but before he could voice his confusion, Kaiba was talking again.

“I wanted to see you lose. And I made sure to give you the worst deck and match you up with a good player with a good deck to make sure of it.”

At this revelation, Kise drew back from Kaiba, a frown on his face as he looked at Kaiba's unchanging features.

“What? Why?” Kise was confused, and very bothered by Kaiba’s declaration, especially because he knew that Kaiba didn't lie.

“If you think that getting me to sleep with you will advance your career, you are sadly mistaken, kid.”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes as he looked at Kise, who blinked back as he processed his words in his head.

It was what felt like a delayed response, but it only took seconds for Kaiba's accusation to sink in and for Kise to feel anger and betrayal rise up in his chest like a tight ball of fire.

Before he knew it, Kise pushed Kaiba away, glaring hotly in his direction.

“_What_? You think I planned on sleeping with you to get this job?” Kise’s voice was no longer playful or cheerful, it was icy and angry, his eyes a molten gold.

Kaiba for his part, remained the same picture of calm nonchalance as he always was, but crossed his arms as he regarded the angry boy in front of him.

“Am I wrong? Why else would you so wantonly throw yourself at me and keep your audition a secret? Do you think I’m stupid? What better way to blackmail someone like me than to get me to sleep with an underage high schooler? Did you really think I would fall for that?”

Kise clenched his fists at the boiling anger her felt.

“Are you _serious_?” he accused, “How about because I actually _like_ you? Because I wanted to be your friend? To surprise you? I had planned to audition for your company before I met you! I knew about you since I was a kid and thought it would be amazing to be able to work for you! Meeting Mokuba and you at my game was something I hadn’t expected and only dreamed of! Everything that happened after—”

Kise paused, the frustration he felt making his eyes water and his voice tremble.

How had it come to this? How could Kaiba be so cruel? He had just wanted to be friends… he had thought they had gotten along just fine, he had thought maybe he was getting through to him. Had everything he’s done just to test his theory? Coming to his game? Going out to eat? Was it all to test what he would do?

And what was he doing now? Why did he want to cry? He felt so stupid! So embarrassed!

Kaiba felt something stir in him at the sight of Kise. The anger was gone from his face, replaced with a pained look as his eyes watered, and his lips trembled. Kaiba wanted to know what else he had to say, but Kise took a step back, his hand angrily wiping away at his eyes. He seemed to gain his composure, his anger returning but not as fiercely as before.

“You know what Kaiba?” the lack of his usual nickname told Kaiba just how upset Kise was, and it bothered him more than it should have.

“Think what you want…” he continued, “But seriously… fuck you… and fuck your company. Find another model! I don’t want anything to do with you or your company anymore!”

With those words, Kise stormed away from him, heading to the elevator and pressing the button that opened its doors. The last image that Kaiba saw as the blonde entered the elevator and pressed the button to take him down was of him unable to look back at Kaiba, his posture defeated as he looked off to side, his eyes only straying to Kaiba as the door closed in front of him, giving him one last look at his golden eyes.

Kaiba felt his chest tighten with an unknown emotion.

He didn’t think Kise was capable of looking so sad.


	20. Doubt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaiba has some things to think about.
> 
> Kise has some frustrations to work through. 
> 
> His friends are just confused.

It had been a week since the confrontation he had with Kise. 

And despite his best efforts, Kaiba couldn’t get that day out of his head. 

No matter how hard he tried to focus on his work, his thoughts always returned to Kise, and the haunting look of the tears and sadness in his eyes. It made him feel… guilty? Regret? Emotions that Kaiba shouldn’t be feeling in this situation. 

He had done the right thing and eliminated a possible threat to his business and livelihood. Nothing good would have come from continuing their play of that day. He had come impossibly close to letting Kise’s antics get the better of his logic, to letting his desire win. If he had given in, Kise would have had more control over him, something to blackmail him with, something to ruin him with. It was a good thing that he had pushed him away. 

But no matter how many times Kaiba tried to justify his reasoning, he often found himself reaching for his personal phone, almost out of reflex, to see if Kise had reached out to him. 

And why would he? He had been angry, and just recently Kaiba had received an email that Kise’s manager had reached out to formally decline on the contract that had been offered to him when he won the audition duel. 

And it was that which sowed his doubts. 

Kaiba had been convinced that Kise planned on using him to secure a spot in his campaign, but he had done nothing before the audition to get an upper hand. And despite his efforts to thwart him, Kise had managed to win the duel that secured a spot for himself. Kaiba had wanted him to lose to see his true aim, to see if Kise would have come to him asking to give him a spot anyway. But when that hadn’t happened, and Kise still made such a bold advance on him, what could he have done but told him what he thought of the situation, to try and force his hand? He couldn’t let anything happen without knowing Kise’s motive. 

And as it turned out, Kise had even cut ties with Mokuba. 

The last time they had talked, Mokuba had mentioned that he hadn’t heard from Kise recently, which he had found odd since he had told him about getting a spot in the campaign to work with KaibaCorp, but when Mokuba had reached out to congratulate him, Kise hadn’t answered. Mokuba had asked him to reach out to him and make sure he was okay, since his silence was unusual for Kise. 

Kaiba hadn’t been able to tell Mokuba what had happened, and that Kise had rejected the offer. It would have opened a whole can of questions that Kaiba wasn’t sure he could answer. But he hadn’t agreed to checking in on him either. 

_ How about because I __actually like __you? Because I __wanted __to be your friend? _

Those were the words that haunted Kaiba the most. 

The possibility that Kise had actually liked Kaiba as a person? That he wanted to be his friend? 

People that met him never liked him. Those that he worked with envied him, admired him, and feared him or hated him at most. Those outside of work that he met were always put off by his coldness, and no one besides Yugi and Atem seemed to care to be his friend, and even that so called friendship might just be a result of the bond they shared in a past life. 

How could anyone really want to be his friend? How could someone exist that wasn’t out for his power? His money? His influence? 

Kaiba wasn’t a fool. 

He knew he wasn’t a good person. He knew he wasn’t friend material. He had never tried to believe otherwise. It was just who he was. He was distrustful of everyone, and he cared only for himself and his brother. The rest of the world could burn for all he cared… 

That was how he had lived his entire life. And it had worked out fine. He had everything he could possibly want. 

_ Why __are __you __so __bent __on __seeing yourself as the villain? _

Kaiba frowned at the foreign thought. 

Was that true? 

Did Kaiba truly see himself as such a bad guy? 

After all… he didn’t completely hate the world and everyone in it. 

If he truly only cared for success, he wouldn’t have demilitarized his step-father’s company and turned it into a gaming company, so children everywhere had a game they could enjoy. He wouldn’t have built the KaibaCorp theme parks where families could spend time together. 

Had his own image of himself been so distorted by the way that others seemed to see him? 

Had he at some point began to believe that he was as bad as people made him out to be? 

_ Be honest with yourself… _ _ what do you want? _

Was he going insane? Surely this had to be a foreign voice in his head. Was it his past self? Honestly, after everything he had gone through, he wouldn’t be surprised if his past self _ was _ talking to him right now. 

Kaiba sighed. 

Did he want to always be that way? The cold, stoic figure that he felt he had to maintain because anything else would be a sign of weakness? 

So much so that he would push someone away as harshly as he had Kise? 

If he was honest with himself… 

He was upset with how much he felt Kise’s absence. 

He hated how badly he wanted to click on his name on his phone and scroll through the pictures he had sent. 

He hated that he might miss his stupid texts and daily updates. 

He hated that he had visited some of his social media in the past week, just to see if he was okay. 

_ Maybe it’s time to give people a chance… maybe not everyone _ _ only wants to be close for selfish reasons. _

Kaiba tapped his finger against his desk as he looked out the window of his office. 

He was working on a Saturday… when most people looked forward to spending time with friends and family. 

Yeah… most people. He wasn’t most people. 

Usually, he prided himself in the fact. 

But right then… it made him feel alienated. 

Alone. 

He had thought he had been fine with being alone. 

Why did that no longer comfort him? 

* * *

“Yo! Kise! Get your head in the game!” 

Aomine’s angry retort snapped Kise out of his thoughts when he missed what should have been an easy shot. 

Kagami was already on the move, taking the ball that bounced off the rim in mid-air and dribbling it to the opposing basket. 

Kagami was spending his summer break from America in Japan, which meant that Kise was often asked to come and play streetball with Kuroko, Aomine, and Kagami. They usually played two on two, and sometimes Seirin’s other players joined in. And since they were the closest to each other, it was easy to get together for these games often. 

Today happened to be a day of just the usual four, but unlike previous times when Kise was more than excited to be invited to play, today his heart wasn’t in it, and he hated that he was showing it with his awful plays. 

Trying to listen to Aomine, Kise forced his body to move, chasing after Kagami as he tried to take the ball back, only for Kagami to pass the ball to Kuroko wherever he was and continue on towards the basket. 

From years of playing with them, Kise had a feeling that they would try for their signature ally-oop, so he made sure to keep close to Kagami and trusted Aomine to block Kuroko. 

It was easier to play against the Shadow and Light duo when it was two on two and there was someone to cover Kuroko, and usually it was Kise and Aomine that won. But it didn’t make their games any less fun, and they often rotated teams to keep it interesting. 

“Heh, not today Kise!” Kagami told him with a smirk as he jumped in the air. 

Kise frowned and followed, but even so, Kagami had managed to jump faster and higher, enough for Kuroko’s pass to make it into his hands out of Kise’s reach and for Kagami to slam the ball into the basket. 

Kise cursed as he landed, pausing to breathe and wipe the sweat from his forehead. It was getting hotter out, and even in his blue shorts and a white tank-top, Kise felt the heat getting to him. 

“What the hell Kise!” Kise looked up to see Aomine stopping in front of him, frown deeper than usual as he regarded him with his dark eyes, “Why are you so playing so bad?” 

Despite himself, Kise felt himself get angry at the remark as he glared at Aomine. 

“So what? It’s just a stupid game! Get over it!” Kise snapped. 

Aomine’s eyes widened at Kise’s retort, and he wasn’t the only one surprised by the angry outburst as both Kagami and Kuroko looked over to the blonde. 

“Jeez Kise… I wasn’t being serious…” Aomine mumbled as he frowned in confusion. It wasn’t like Kise to get angry so easily… and call their games stupid. Especially basketball. 

“Kise… is something the matter?” Kuroko asked as he approached them, ball in his hands and usual blank expression on his face, but concern in his eyes. 

“Yeah, I’ve never seen you angry before…” Kagami added as he also approached. And it was true. Kise was always either happy, or cool and collected. They had seen him frustrated sure… but angry? An angry Kise was an incredibly rare sight, even to them. 

Kise frowned, not liking their questions. 

Yes, he _was _angry. 

He had been angry all week. 

And he hated it. He wanted to move past it, but he couldn’t. It was as if that ball of anger and betrayal that had formed a week ago was still sitting in the pit of his stomach. 

And it wasn’t their fault, it was the fault of a stupid narcissistic CEO. And it bothered him so much that it was affecting his games. He had been lucky that the games they’d had were against low tier schools and easily winnable, otherwise Kise’s team would have had a fit about his plays. 

He had never been more offended in his life, and that said a lot when a lot of people went out of their way to try and offend him. 

“I’m fine,” Kise growled out as he walked to the middle of the court, “Let’s just play.” 

The three only shared a concerned look as they followed the blonde to continue their game. 

After that, Kise played much more aggressively, hardly passing the ball to Aomine and using his copy of the Generation of Miracles to dominate the game and reach the winning score. 

As he came down from the winning dunk, Kise looked over to a frowning Aomine. 

“There,” Kise said coldly, “We won… happy?” 

Aomine glared at Kise but said nothing, and neither did Kagami or Kuroko. 

They usually enjoyed their games, none really caring about who won and who lost. 

But this game had been different, Kise’s attitude a complete one-eighty from his usual positive and overly cheery self. Something was clearly wrong, and it left them all on edge after his aggressive play, and not being used to seeing this side of Kise, no one knew just what to say. 

“Should we… call it a day and just get some milkshakes?” Kagami tentatively suggested, almost as if he was scared to say the wrong thing. 

Kise wasn’t really in the mood. He had thought coming out would help him forget about what was bothering him, but instead, he felt worse for ruining their game with his bad attitude. 

He was just about to decline the invitation and say that he was going home when his line of sight followed the direction the ball had rolled off to. His heart skipped a beat as he saw the last person he expected to see step in front of the ball and stop its motion, only to lean down to pick it up. 

The rest of them seemed to catch Kise’s surprise as they followed his gaze to the tall unfamiliar brunette that was now holding the ball. 

It was none other than the source of Kise’s awful mood, sans the signature long white coat. Kise wasn’t used to seeing him without his coat, but the heat must have been enough reason to leave it behind, giving Kise a clear few of the man’s slender figure. 

Seto Kaiba. 

“Who’s that guy?” Kagami asked. 

The only ones that recognized him were Kise and Aomine, but neither answered Kagami’s question. 

“What are _ you _ doing here?” Kise asked, voice clipped and cold as he placed a hand on his hip. The rest of the guys easily caught onto Kise’s accusing tone, only making them more curious about who this guy was. 

“We need to talk.” 

So they knew each other, that was obvious. But why did Kise seem bothered by him? 

“I don’t think we do,” Kise replied, narrowing his eyes at Kaiba, his anger shining brightly through his golden orbs. 

Kaiba began walking towards them, and almost instinctively, both Kagami and Aomine stepped forward and in front of Kise. They didn’t know who this guy was, but they knew Kise didn’t want to talk to him, and the guy was clearly not getting the hint. 

“You heard him pal, he doesn’t wanna talk to you,” Kagami voiced, glaring at the approaching figure. 

This guy was tall, but he didn’t look too intimidating. He certainly had a presence, but they had more muscle on them, and it was just one of him against the four of them. 

Despite his resentment at seeing Kaiba, Kise felt warmth in his chest at the way Kagami and Aomine were stepping forward to protect him. He knew he didn’t need their protection, but it was the thought that counted. 

Kaiba paused, regarding the two boys with indifference, before looking at Kise once more. 

“Kise…” he said, and Kise hated the way his breath hitched at the sound of his name, and the softness that accompanied it. 

“Please…” 

Kise felt his heart skip a beat, and the anger that had previously consumed him seemed to evaporate at that single word. 

Was Kaiba… _ pleading _with him? 

_ The _Seto Kaiba? 

The proud, narcissistic man that Kise had grown to know? 

Kise felt his body taking a step forward without his realizing it, and something flashed in Kaiba’s eyes for a second, something like hope, before it was gone and replaced with the same stoic and icy blue. 

“Let’s talk…” Kaiba urged again, before his eyes flashed to the other boys, “In private.” 

Said boys seemed to tense at Kaiba’s words, but Kise took another step forward so that he was in front of them, and Aomine reached out, grabbing ahold of the crook of his elbow and holding him back. 

Kise turned to look at Aomine’s face, who looked concerned, maybe a little nervous? 

“Kise… you don’t have to go. We can take him on if we have to,” he said. 

Kise smiled reassuringly at Aomine, the first real smile he had seen all day from him, and that only served to unnerve Aomine more. 

“It’s okay Aominecchi. I’m fine,” Kise reassured him, gently pulling his elbow away from Aomine, before turning to Kaiba again. 

“Fine. We’ll talk,” Kise told him, his tone no longer angry, but still stern. 

Kaiba said nothing, only waited until Kise walked past him to get the bag he had brought with him. While he retrieved his things, Kaiba looked to the other boys. The red-haired looked confused more than anything, the short blue-haired boy simply looked passive, but Aomine looked angry, distrustful. 

“Here.” 

Kaiba tossed Aomine the ball, who easily caught it but whose frown never once wavered. 

Aomine didn’t know why, but he knew that he didn’t want Kise to leave with him. 

“Sorry guys. I’ll catch you later. I’ll make up for this next time, okay?” Kise said as he came to join the brunette, bag over his shoulder. 

Kise could see that his friends weren’t comfortable letting him leave with Kaiba, could see the unease in their eyes. He didn’t blame them, since they didn’t know who Kaiba was. 

He tried to smile reassuringly. 

“Don’t worry, I trust him…” Kise told them, knowing it was the only way to ease their minds. 

They didn’t look fully convinced, but they trusted his judgement. 

“Fine… but text us later okay?” Kagami said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. 

Their display of protectiveness reminded Kaiba of Yugi’s friends, and they looked at him just as his friends had. They didn’t trust him with Kise, even though they didn’t know him. Proof once more that Kaiba wasn’t a likeable guy. So why did Kise take a liking to him? What did Kise see that others didn’t? 

“I will! Have fun without me okay! Sorry about my attitude today…” 

Kagami and Kuroko nodded, only Aomine still looked completely unhappy with his decision from the apparent scowl on his face. 

Either way, Kise didn’t wait for a reply as he turned around and walked out of the basketball court, with Kaiba following him. 

Once they were out of ear-shot, Kaiba spoke. 

“Did you mean that? That you trust me?” Kaiba asked. 

It had surprised him after all, that Kise would tell them that after what he had told him during the last time they spoke, after admitting to trying to sabotage him. 

Kise didn’t answer right away, didn’t look at him as he continued to walk with his hands in his pockets. 

“Well, I trust that you won’t hurt me, which was what they seemed worried about. It would be a stupid and pointless thing to do, and you don’t do stupid and pointless things, right?” 

Kaiba found that he didn’t like this side of Kise. This side that talked to him in an indifferent tone, who didn’t radiate the glow and enthusiasm that he always did around him. Was this how Kise treated those he didn’t like? 

“Anyway… where do you want to talk?” Kise asked with a sigh, as if he just wanted to get this over with. 

“I’ll drive you home, I parked the car this way,” Kaiba told him, taking the lead as they walked, and Kise looked interested. 

“You drove?” Kise asked. 

“I didn’t want to bother Tanaka on a personal matter such as this,” Kaiba admitted. 

Despite himself, Kise laughed. 

“I didn’t think you were capable of something so_ common _ as driving yourself,” Kise was only half-joking. 

Kise didn’t want to admit it, but the fact that Kaiba had driven himself so far from home to talk to him in person instead of calling made more of his anger ebb away. He had an idea of what Kaiba wanted to talk to him about, but what had made him want to reach out to talk about it? 

Kise wanted to stay angry, but seeing Kaiba again, hearing him plead to talk… it practically made him putty in his hands. How could he be so weak to someone? For all he knew, Kaiba might want to extort something out of him. He would like to think that Kaiba came to apologize… but what were the chances of that? 

“How did you know where I was anyway?” Kise asked, softer and more defeated this time. 

Kaiba spared him a glance and saw that Kise’s indifference was replaced with a softer look, with a hint of the same sadness he had seen on the elevator. 

“I’m the inventor of some of the most advanced technology in the world, with access to my own satellite… it wasn’t hard,” Kaiba replied, taking out the keys in his pocket to remotely unlock his car just ahead. 

Kise tried not to think about how invasive and kind of scary that sounded, and only because it was such a Kaiba thing to do, even if he was joking. As he looked at the lights of the car flash as it unlocked, Kise noticed that it was a much fancier car than the one his driver drove him around in. This was a sports car, top of the line, and more of the luxury model that Kise would expect from someone like Kaiba. 

Kise entered the car, trying not to admire the sleek and modern interior, and began to give Kaiba directions to where he lived. 

Not wanting to sit in silence, and with too many questions in his mind, Kise just dove in. 

“Kaiba…why are you here?” Kise asked. 

It was a good question, one that even Kaiba himself couldn’t fully answer. 

“I’d like to know that myself…” 

He found himself tracking down Kise and driving down all the way to where he was before he could fully rationalize why he was doing it. The only thing that he knew, is that he wasn’t happy with the outcome of their last conversation. 

Kaiba sighed. 

“I don’t trust people…” Kaiba continued, and Kise could hear the strain in his voice, as if he wasn’t exactly comfortable with the subject, so he stayed quiet, and waited for him to continue. 

“I’m used to people taking things from me. I’m used to people hating me and disliking me for what I have and what I’ve done. All my life, people have only taken from me. It started with my own family, who stole the fortune our parents left behind after their death and left us to be poor orphans with nothing to our name. I’ve had to work hard for what I have and even harder to keep it. Mokuba has been the only person I could ever trust, because if my own family would forsake us for money, how could I trust anyone at all?” 

Kise felt his heart sink, felt his heart beat fast at the words that Kaiba was telling him. Even if Mokuba hadn’t shared the same story with him, Kise would have believed him. 

“Those that have tried to get close to me have always wanted something. Whether it was money, a position in my company, or even my life. And the few people that have gotten to know me by chance and circumstances tend to hate my guts. It’s not news to me that I’m not the most likeable guy.” 

Kise lips quirked at Kaiba’s own jab at his personality. 

“So when you say you want to be my friend… and actually like me… I find it hard to believe.” 

If it weren’t for the fact that he was hearing it with his own ears, Kaiba wouldn’t have believed that he was having this conversation with Kise. Just five years ago, Kaiba probably wouldn’t have been able to talk this openly. 

But since he had been the one to raise Mokuba through his teenage angst and rebellious phase, Kaiba had learned to verbalize his feelings to have a better conversation that didn’t push him away. It had been a turbulent time, with a lot of trial and error on Kaiba’s part. A lot of letting himself be vulnerable to someone. 

And somehow, Kise had brought out that side of him as well. 

“So when I found out that you were auditioning for my company, it made perfect sense that what you were really after was a way to advance your career, especially since you didn’t seem to think basketball was an option for you. I wanted to thwart your plan by making you lose the duel, so you couldn’t claim a spot, to prove that you would try to get me to get you a spot anyway. But you surprised me by winning the duel…” Kaiba admitted. 

Kaiba paused, and Kise absorbed what Kaiba had confided in him with. 

The vulnerability that Kaiba was willing to share with him warmed Kise. It further reinforced what he had thought about Kaiba all along. That Kaiba had his reasons for being cold, aloof, and known to be cruel. Someone as pure as Mokuba wouldn’t love his brother so deeply if that wasn’t the case, wouldn’t defend him at every turn. 

“You know…” Kise said tentatively, “The only reason I was able to win was because of you.” 

Kaiba glanced away from the door to look at Kise, who was looking at his lap. 

“I honestly had no clue how I was going to win with the deck I got, but then I thought of you, and how I didn’t want to lose while you were watching, and then I remembered your virus deck. I immediately knew it was the only way to stand up against a powerful deck, and I chose my five cards around that strategy. Even so… I was lucky to have gotten the cards I needed.” 

As Kaiba looked back to the road, he couldn’t help but remember Yugi and Atem’s words of _Heart of the Cards _, and that perhaps that’s exactly what Kise had. His plays certainly reminded him a lot of his own rival, the way he made the impossible happen. 

“You’re more impressive than you give yourself credit for,” Kaiba admitted, “A bad duelist would never have come so close to beating me, and not just anyone would be able to turn such a bad deck around with the perfect five cards. The day you surprised me at KaibaCorp was the first time in a long time that I’d enjoyed dueling…” Kaiba hesitated, as if he caught himself rambling. 

“I guess what I want to say is… you’re one of the very few people I find tolerable, and someone whose skill I can actually acknowledge.” 

Kise felt his heart soar. He knew that in his own way, Kaiba was apologizing. He was telling Kise in the most roundabout way possible that Kise was someone he wanted around. _ Him _! Kise Ryota! It gave him butterflies in his stomach and it was hard not to immediately forgive Kaiba for the torture he had gone through for the past week. 

Kise found it more sad than anything…. That Kaiba trusted so little even friendship seemed like a plot against what he had. It made Kise want to try harder to be his friend. He wanted to show him that he was wrong, and that he really wanted to be his friend. 

“Kaibacchi…” Kise continued, and this time, Kaiba felt as if a weight was taken off his shoulders once Kise addressed him with his usual nickname, warmth laced in his tone. 

“I appreciate you telling me all this. I know that it couldn’t have been easy for you. And even if it’s hard for you to believe me… I want you to know that I really _ do _ want to be your friend. Growing up, I admired you. And when I found out about the auditions, I was beyond excited at the possibility of meeting you if I got the part. And then meeting Mokuba and getting the chance to duel you, it was a dream come true! I could hardly believe it! And yes, you were— _ are _—kind of a dick, but from the way that Mokuba talked about you, and from seeing how you treated Mokuba in return, I knew there was a reason why you were the way you were. I wanted to be your friend because I knew there was good in you too, and hell, I’m not the nicest guy around either, I can be a dick too you know.” 

Despite himself, Kaiba couldn’t help but grin. He wanted to believe Kise, wanted to believe that it was sincerity behind his words. 

“So when you accused me of using you to advance my career… well I was insulted and hurt. I’ve always worked for what I have. Granted, I stick to what I’m good at and like instead of what will get me the most money and power… but I’ve never wanted anything to be handed to me. I would _ never _ sink to sleeping with someone to get a job, just like I would _ never _ cheat to win in basketball , and why I _ will _ win in a duel against you one day. I want the satisfaction of attaining things by my own means. And the only reason I didn’t tell you was because I wanted to surprise you, because I still look up to you and only want to seem worthy in your eyes,” Kise felt himself blush at his own vulnerability, but he knew that since Kaiba had opened up to him, he had to do the same in return. 

“I believe you,” Kaiba said. 

And it was true. Kaiba believed him. He fought against his every notion and belief that told him otherwise and _ trusted _ Kise. It was an odd sensation. Never before had Kaiba felt so vulnerable, and it while it bothered him, he pushed that feeling away. 

Kaiba had come to terms that he needed to make some changes in his life. 

This was where he would start. 

Kise continued to give Kaiba instructions to his apartment, and the rest of the ride there was spent in contemplating silence. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence, but there was a certain elephant in the room. The one thing they hadn’t broached about what else had happened in Kaiba’s office that day. 

Kise snuck several glances at Kaiba, his heart beating nervously in his chest. Kise knew that they had reached a new level in their relationship, and Kise felt as if a great responsibility had been given to him. Kaiba had chosen to trust him, and for someone that didn’t trust anyone but his brother, Kise knew that he could never take Kaiba’s trust for granted. He wanted to show Kaiba that he was right to trust Kise with his friendship. 

But also… Kise knew that he wanted more than just Kaiba’s friendship. 

His attraction to Kaiba hadn’t gone away. In fact, the fact that Kaiba opened up to him made him like Kaiba even more. 

He wanted to continue where they had left off in his office. Kise had been sure that Kaiba was also attracted to him from the way he had seemed affected by his advances. 

So the question was… should Kise just forget about it and keep their friendship as it was… or should he be open with Kaiba and tell him he also wanted _ him _. 

“You should sign the contract.” 

Kise blinked as he looked at Kaiba. 

“Huh?” 

“The contract… to work for KaibaCorp. You won the duel fair and square. You deserve the position. I told the project leader to hold off on extending the contract to someone else. Your manager can call and arrange the meeting next week.” 

Ah, so that was what he meant. He hadn’t thought about that. 

In truth, he _ would _ like to be a part of KaibaCorps campaign. It still sounded as appealing as it had before, especially now that it seemed he had patched things up with Kaiba. 

“I guess I could only…” Kise paused, and Kaiba glanced over. 

“Next weekend is my birthday weekend, and my family wanted me to go and visit to celebrate with me. But the weekend after would work, if it’s not too late?” 

Kaiba wasn’t too concerned. There was no real deadline by when they would need the contracts signed, and there was still plenty of time before the project that Kise would be involved in would officially start. 

“It should be no problem,” he assured Kise, just as Kise motioned for him to stop in front of the apartment complex they had just arrived at. 

Kise glanced over in the direction of his apartment, and then back at Kaiba. 

“So… I guess… we can consider each other friends now?” Kise asked, tentatively. 

Kaiba looked at Kise. The warmth was back in his eyes, and it gave Kaiba a sense of relief. 

Before he could stop himself, he felt himself reach out with his hand and ruffle Kise’s hair, causing Kise to blink at him in surprise before his eyes brightened, a content smile formed on his lips, and a tint of pink dusted his cheeks. 

As much as Kaiba hated to admit it… this boy was nice to look at, nice to be around too. 

He was glad to see his happy demeanor back. 

He almost reminded him of a puppy wagging his tail as he looked back at him. 

“Yeah… I guess so…” Kaiba replied. 

In that moment, Kise chose not to bring up the chemistry that the two had shared in his office. 

For now… Kise could be content with this. 

He could be content with Kaiba’s trust and friendship. 


	21. Birthday Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kise meets some new rivals.
> 
> Aomine treats him to a birthday dinner.

Kise was in a much better mood in the coming week. He had gone back to constantly texting Kaiba, and even apologized to Mokuba about his absence. Kaiba had said that he preferred his little brother not know about what happened between them, since it was their business and he rather Mokuba didn’t get involved.

Kise of course, respected his wishes, and told Mokuba that he had problems with his phone and had gotten busy which was why he had disappeared for a week. Mokuba seemed to accepted his excuse easy enough, and the two continued on as they always had, with Mokuba being happy and excited that he would be working with KaibaCorp now too.

The best part of it all, was that Kaiba bothered to answer his questions now. And while Kise tried to keep his questions general and things that weren’t too personal, he felt as if he was really getting to know Kaiba. The real Kaiba.

Everything seemed to be falling into place.

He had the audition, which although Anami was confused with Kise’s indecisiveness, had arranged for the contract to be signed the weekend after his birthday.

Now, there were only three things on Kise’s mind.

Winning the inter-high.

Winning a duel against Kaiba.

And trying to keep his attraction to Kaiba manageable as he tried to be the best possible friend that he could be.

For now though, his priority should be on basketball practice so that he could finally give his team the championship title they deserved. He had to put in his all so that he could finally defeat the Generation of Miracles and claim his place at the top.

His positive mood and abundance of energy had given him the drive to push himself as much as he could the coming week, training harder and longer than he had in a long time, and rather than feel tired by the extra exertion, Kise just felt more energized and determined.

So much so that although Kise should have been more excited for his birthday, it was hardly at the front of his mind as he continued on with his training regimen and shooting schedule.

It _was_ a big birthday. As one of the oldest in his group of friends, he should be more excited to be turning eighteen.

He would officially be an adult by society standards.

But that’s also what scared him.

Was he _ready_ to be adult?

He certainly didn’t _feel_ ready.

“Kise, you ready?” Hachiro asked as he leaned against the locker next to his.

Kise broke from his thoughts as he turned to Hachiro, those were concerns for another day.

Today his concern was winning his basketball game against one of the lesser known schools in his district. It wasn’t one of their rival schools, but they had heard rumors that their team this year was one of the best. They had gotten a few really good players the year before, and it was rumored that the first years this year were even better.

They were known as the “Rising Kings”, a title bestowed on them during their middle school playing years. Unlike the Generation of Miracles however, the so called Rising Kings had chosen to stay together during high school, and he had heard from multiple sources that they planned to dethrone the Generation of Miracles and claim the inter-high and winter-cup. They said they would prove they had what it took to defeat the Generation of Miracles by going to a school that didn’t have the most reputable history with their games.

The interesting thing was, so far, they were backing up their claim and were currently undefeated as far as Kise knew.

“Yeah, just getting the rest of my stuff.”

This game would be an away game, and their bus would be leaving soon so the team had changed into their away uniforms with their sweats over it.

Kise grabbed his travel bag and put it over his shoulder, walking out with the rest of his team and towards the bus that was waiting outside.

Their coach was going over plays with Takeshi, strategizing and probably incorporating some of their new plays, and Hachiro continued to walk next to him, teasing him about the girls that had confessed to Kise this week and chastising him for turning them down since one of the girls was one of the most popular and liked girls at their school. As always, Kise just laughed it off and did his best to evade and change the subject. It was hard to really justify why he always turned down the girls that confessed without being open about his sexuality.

His teammates invited him to mixers all the time and Kise was always more than happy to go since it was one of his favorite social activities, but he never ended up giving the girl he was paired up with the time of day, just enough not to make her feel completely left out, and often times the girls fought over him anyway and ignored the boy they were actually supposed to be paired up with. It was things like that that reminded Kise why he didn’t ever feel the need to date a girl just for show.

And since Aomine had been the center of his world for so long, he never found a boy to like in his own school either. Now, his crush was a billionaire CEO. Go figure.

“Hey, look who it is,” Hachiro said as he nudged Kise with his elbow.

They had just exited the doors of the building as Kise followed Hachiro’s gaze. It wasn’t hard to see who he was referring too, and Kise blinked in surprised to see the green haired boy laying in wait, holding what looked to be a sand-glass in his tape-wrapped hand and wearing the black uniform that belonged to Shutoku High.

“What’s Midorimacchi doing here?” Kise asked aloud before jogging up to the green-haired boy and stopping short of him with a smile.

“Ah, to what do we owe the pleasure Midorimacchi! It’s kind of a bad time, we’re on our way to a game,” Kise informed the taller boy.

As expected, Midorima’s expression remained unchanged as he looked back at Kise.

“Kise, I came to tell you something important,” he replied, and were it not for the serious look on in his eyes, Kise would have teased him on lightening up.

“So serious Midorimacchi… what’s up that you would come all this way for?” Kise asked, glancing over to the bus where his team was already entering. Only the coach and Takeshi waited outside and looked over in Kise’s direction.

“The team you’re playing against… Yamakai High. Don’t underestimate them,” Midorima said, narrowing his eyes slightly, and causing Kise to blink with confusion.

“Ah… is there a reason for that?”

Not that Kise was underestimating them, but why would Midorima come all this way just to tell him that?

“Two days ago, Shutoku had a practice match against Yamakai,” Midorima continued, and Kise listened intently.

“Kise…we lost.”

Kise’s eyes widened as he stared back at Midorima.

“What?!” Kise exclaimed.

Shutoku had lost? The team that Kise had lost to in their first year at the Winter Cup? One of the teams which had a member of the Generation of Miracles? How could that have happened?

“I would have told you sooner if I had known you would be playing against them so soon, but I only found out about your match today and came as soon as I could. I would have texted you but my phone is broken and Takao stayed home sick.”

Kise still couldn’t believe what Midorima had told him. How could Shutoku lose to a team that had never before been a challenge? That had never even been in a tournament?

“They’re good Kise, very good. Their teamwork is seamless, and they didn’t even play their upperclassman in the match.”

What? They won against Shutoku without even playing their seasoned players? How could that be possible?

“Listen Kise, their strength is in their teamwork, I’ve never seen something quite like it. They reminded me of us … in our middle school days. But individually, they aren’t as strong as us. I don’t know if that will help you much, but I don’t have the time to tell you everything.”

Kise narrowed his eyes, his body tense as he absorbed Midorima’s warning.

He had felt pretty confident about his game… but now… with Midorima’s urgent visit to give him this warning… he felt different. Midorima wouldn’t have come all this way if it wasn’t urgent, if he didn’t feel this was truly a warning that he needed.

Still… he had worked hard. His team had worked hard. He couldn’t let a warning like this shake his confidence. So, he hardened his gaze and smiled at Midorima.

“I appreciate the warning Midorimacchi… but don’t forget who won against you last inter-high. Even if Yamakai beat Shutoku, they won’t beat us. I won’t let it happen,” Kise replied.

Midorima looked at Kise before smirking.

“Hn. I see… very well Kise. According to Oha Asa, Gemini ranks first today.”

* * *

In the end, Midorima had driven with them to the school, and told him what he knew of their would-be opponent. He was able to tell them about each of the players, and how and why they had been able to get the better of Shutoku and win the match. It might have just been a practice match, but it didn’t make it any less of a loss.

Midorima’s retelling of the events certainly sobered up the team and made them more cautious for what would come. It made the rest of the team on edge, and Kise hoped that they would be more focused and not shaken by what Midorima had told them.

Kise felt his phone vibrate in his hand, and despite his turbulent thoughts, Kise smiled when he saw that it was Kaiba’s response to his text earlier.

_ **Kaibacchi 15:39** _

**And you didn’t think to invite me this time?**

Kise grinned. He had told Kaiba that he had a game today, but unlike other times, Kise hadn’t invited him, but until recently, it had been with good reason. What made him smile was Kaiba’s witty remark. He truly enjoyed seeing this more open and playful side of Kaiba, despite how sarcastic he could sometimes be.

**Well, I thought it would be too boring for you. It was supposed to be against one of the worse schools, but apparently, their new members are good. Good enough to have won against one of the Generation of Miracles in a practice match. You’re welcome to come if you want! I might need the moral support!**

Kise was kidding of course. It was much too late of a notice for Kaiba to make it, and even if he did, he doubted he would make it in time. Maybe if he left now he could make the last quarter, but that just sounded like a waste of a trip for only a quarter of the game.

They were only five minutes away from Yamakai, and Kise resisted the urge to tap his leg.

While he had hoped for an easy game, he couldn’t help but also feel excited at the news of a challenge in these new players.

* * *

Yamakai High School certainly wasn’t to the caliber as Kaijo. It was smaller, and much less impressive. But Kise and his teammates knew better than to underestimate a team based on the school itself, now more than ever thanks to Midorima’s warning.

The bus parked outside what seemed to be the athletic entrance, where everyone was surprised to see a large group of people waiting outside, both students and adults. It was an unusual sight, which raised more than a pair of eyebrows.

Seeing the bus pull up, one of the adults, a woman with black hair in a ponytail and a track suit with the Yamakai colors, approached the bus and waived over, and Coach Takeuchi didn’t hesitate to step out and meet her outside.

As they spoke, the Kaijo players decided to step out, and as they filed out, the students that could only be the Yamakai players from their red and white basketball uniforms approached them. From what Midorima had told them, they already knew who each was.

The boy leading the team with orange-hair in a bun and faded sides was the captain, Yasumi Rintaro, point guard. According to Midorima, he was quick-witted and efficient, managing to quickly change the course of their plays in a split second.

Behind him, was a boy with blonde hair, more broadly built than the others and the power forward of the team, Inai Dai. He had an easy-going expression on his face, looking more bored than anything.

While the players certainly held a presence for being first years, not to mention having the height that made them look older, it was the other three that really got their attention.

Yamikai’s Triple Threat.

A set of identical triplets that made up the core of Yamikai’s team. Just from looking at them, it was apparent that they were identical triplets, considering they looked exactly the same in build and looks. They all had the same burgundy eyes, and kept the same hairstyle, black spiky hair, with the only separating feature being a white streak in their hair in different locations. One had it on the right side, the other the left, and the other in the center.

Midorima had spoken of their seamless teamwork, their unorthodox plays, and the fathomless arsenal of plays just between the three of them.

The Miura triples. Miura Shuji, shooting guard. Miura Izuki, center. Miura Kinji, small forward.

They were the ones they had to worry about the most.

Takeshi took the lead as the two groups stopped in front of each other, and more than one player raised their hand in greeting.

“What’s going on?” Takeshi asked.

Their captain, Rintaro, was the one to answer.

“Well, some unfortunate news,” he begun, looking behind him with a look of disappointment on his face to the entrance doors and hands on each hip.

“Some pipes burst, and the gym is flooded. Looks like the game is cancelled.”

Takeshi frowned at the news, before sighing and crossing his arms. Behind him, there were groans of disappointment among the Kaijo players. They had been riled up for nothing.

“Well, that’s unfortunate. We were really looking forwards to playing against you,” he replied.

“We would have called and saved you the trip, but it just happened less than an half an hour ago as we were getting ready.”

As the captains continued to talk, Kise noticed that the eyes of the triplets were on him.

They looked at him as if analyzing him, which being the Ace of Kaijo, Kise was used to. This was the first time they had been in such proximity after all, and if the rumors were true, the Rising Kings were out to dethrone all those that had belonged to the Generation of Miracles, Kise being one of them.

“Kise Ryota, the copycat!” the triplet with the white streak on the left side approached him, a large grin on his face, “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you!”

The boy in front of him looked pleased and overly joyful. Standing in front of him, Kise was able to see that the triplets were shorter than him, maybe by about two or three inches. It was a fact that could also be a disadvantage to them, but given the rumors, Kise knew not to put too much faith in that. While the taller in basketball a player was, the better, it wasn’t always the case, as Kuroko had taught him early on.

“Ah, likewise,” Kise said, although he hardly meant it and lacked the same enthusiasm behind his words.

“I’m Kinji, the youngest of my brothers, we play the same position!” Kinji said with a grin of pride, causing Kise to blink and resist the urge to grimace.

He wasn’t quite sure why, but this guy rubbed him the wrong way.

“Ah, is that so? I look forward to seeing you in action in the next game then,” Kise replied unenthusiastically, his gaze colder as he regarded the boy in front of him.

Kinji’s grin turned colder as well, and as he extended his hand for Kise to shake, Kise’s eyes narrowed, but his pride caused him to also reach out and grasp the smaller boy’s hand.

Kise didn’t expect the tight grip that followed, or the way that Kinji used his other hand to grasp Kise’s wrist. Kise knew that if he tried to pull away, it wouldn’t be easy, and Kise tried to quell the rage that filled him at the blatant show of a dominance that he was being shown by this underclassman.

“I look forward to making you obsolete, _senpai_…” Kinji said, and before Kise could try to rip his hand away, the younger boy let go and turned around to return to his brothers who had silently watched the exchange.

Kise was livid, and he was surprised when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Kise, don’t let him get to you.”

It was Midorima, who Kise had forgotten was there, but it did little to reign in the anger that Kise felt then and there.

How dare this kid? Who did he think he was?

Kise would show him just who he was messing with.

“You’re right Midorimacchi. I’ll show him on the court.”

* * *

Kise was annoyed all the way back to Kaijo, and ended up sending Kaiba a long rant about what had happened and how annoyed and pissed off he was on his way home. He felt better after the fact and sighed as he felt himself decompress.

He still wasn’t satisfied with the events, especially since they hadn’t been able to play so he could show those so called Rising Kings their place in their rankings, to remind them why he was among those with the title of Generation of Miracles.

As he looked up at the still bright sky of his town, Kise tried his best to forget about the events that had just happened and thought of what he had to look forward to. His birthday was the next day, and his teammates wanted to take him out after practice to eat since he would be going to see his parents that weekend.

It was very kind of his teammates, and Kise was looking forward to it. He also knew that due to his popularity, he would have a surplus of notes, gifts, and chocolates in his locker from his fangirls, which was never fun to clean and bring home after. Usually he gave out a lot of the edible gifts to his teammates anyway, and took the rest home where he sometimes bothered to read and sometimes he just threw out.

It wasn’t that he was insensitive to their feelings and confessions, it just got tiring after a while and he knew that he was never going to really give those girls the time of day. Sure, he would greet them, smile and speak to them, but never did he plan on indulging them outside of school hours unless they somehow managed to track him down somewhere.

It had also been some time since he had seen his parents and sisters, since modeling jobs often occupied his weekends and school and basketball the rest of the time. It would be nice to see them and get spoiled by them and teased by his siblings.

It would be especially nice to see his sisters, since they were one of the few people that knew about his sexuality and had known he dated Aomine. They were incredibly supportive and Kise was looking forward to telling them about Kaiba and asking for their advice on what he should do after their most recent developments.

He would be going to KaibaCorp to finalize his contract the weekend after and although Kise hadn’t brought it up to Kaiba yet, he was really hoping he could see him and spend some time with him, and Kise was more than willing to pull the birthday card to do so.

Kise was pulled from his thoughts by the continuous vibrating of his phone in his pocket, and knowing it was a call, Kise pulled it out to see who was calling him, expecting to see the name of Anami but surprised to see another name, a name that made Kise’s heart skip a beat at the rarity of such a call.

With only a moment of hesitation, Kise answered the call and placed the phone against his ear.

“Aominecchi,” Kise said, trying to sound cheery despite the slight dread he felt at his call, “What a surprise, to what do I owe this call?”

There was a grunt from the other side of the call, the familiar masculine sound that had always managed to make Kise weak in the knees.

“Are you busy right now?” Aomine replied, not really answering his question.

Kise blinked.

“Ah, not really. My game was cancelled so I was just heading home to eat and do homework,” Kise answered.

There was a pause, and Kise was about to speak again when Aomine beat him to it.

“Do you want to get dinner? I’m in the area, and since it’s your birthday tomorrow, consider it my treat,” Aomine offered, his voice that familiar tone that Kise had learned to recognize as Aomine’s shy voice.

It surprised Kise enough for his steps to falter and cause him to stop on the sidewalk, his eyes wide and his heart picking up speed in his chest.

Since they broke up, Kise hadn’t been alone with Aomine. The times they hung out were always with either Momoi or Kuroko and Kagami. If Kise was honest, he had avoided being alone with Aomine because he didn’t feel as if he was ready to be with him without a buffer for all the questions that Kise had left unanswered. But perhaps he was wrong, and Aomine was with Momoi. Why would he be in the area by himself otherwise?

“Oh um, would Momocchi be going with us too?” Kise asked, tentatively.

“No… just me,” Aomine answered, also a bit hesitantly.

Kise thought about it, wondering if he should accept Aomine’s offer. It had been over six months, should he still be avoiding being by himself with Aomine? He wasn’t sure if he was fully over him, but Kise didn’t think it was productive to keep putting it off. After all, Aomine was still someone that Kise treasured and valued, despite how things had turned out between them. And this was their final year in high school, with neither knowing where their paths would take them in the coming year. Shouldn’t he be trying to spend as much time as possible with his friends?

With that in mind, Kise had his answer.

“I would love to Aominecchi, where to?” Kise asked, his outlook on the situation much more positive than before.

* * *

Aomine had ended up suggesting Rampo’s, claiming that it had been a while since he’d been there and it was one of Kise’s favorites.

When they met up, Kise had to try harder than he would have liked to keep out of his mind how familiar it felt, from the many dates that the two had gone on at this very location.

Aomine made it a little hard considering that for once, he hadn’t opted to stay in his school uniform or track suit. He was actually nicely dressed, with dark blue jeans that hugged his butt just right and a form-fitting dark gray long-sleeved t-shirt that he had rolled up to his elbows. His appearance alone reminded Kise just how handsome Aomine was, and why he had been the object of his affection for so long.

The two sat down at Kise’s usual table, and while it hadn’t been that long since Kise last visited, it felt different when Aomine was sitting across from him. Despite himself, Kise felt nervous, and a little on edge without a buffer between them as Kise had feared.

And it bothered him that he felt that way.

It had once been so easy to be around Aomine, to tease him and press his buttons. Aomine had always been playful with him too, and when they started dating they had been pleasantly surprised that their dynamics didn’t change all that much, rather, it was more so adding affection into their dynamic. Which for Kise, had been easy. He had dreamed of being affectionate with Aomine for so long that it was actually hard to keep himself in check to take their relationship at a pace Aomine was comfortable with. After all, it was Aomine who wasn’t sure how to go about a relationship with a boy, and Kise had to tell him that he could do with him anything he would do with a girl, like late night phone calls, flowers, dates, and everything that people did in a relationship. Kise was a hopeless romantic after all. And anything Aomine did with him would make him happy.

Now though, there was a sadness and disappointment when it came to being around Aomine. Sad because Kise had hoped for a forever with him, and disappointment because it didn’t happen. It made Kise feel insecure, because he didn’t even know what he did or didn’t do that caused Aomine to break up with him. He felt even worse because he didn’t have the courage to ask.

Yet here they were, with Aomine looking just a little bit nervous across from him. Did he also feel those same feelings as Kise did when it came to the two of them being alone? Or were they different kinds of feelings that he had? It had to be different, perhaps he was nervous that he might be giving Kise the wrong idea by being out here with just the two of them.

Kise refused to believe it was anything else. He couldn’t hope for anything else.

Harumi remembered Aomine from the times the two had come together, and the small talk she made with Aomine had seemed to ebb some of Aomine’s nervousness away. She had left some water for them, and said she would come back in a few minutes since they were a bit busy that night and she had to attend a different table.

“So, why was your game cancelled today?” Aomine asked.

It was the perfect question for Kise, since the feelings he felt from the events that had happened that day resurfaced, replacing the feelings he felt being around Aomine as he launched into another retelling of the events with enthusiasm.

He was glad to see that Aomine was empathetic and on his side once he learned of everything, even showing to be angry about the triplet's actions near the end.

“That little shit! Who does he think he is? I can’t wait to play him and show him just who he‘s going up against. I hope we play them soon,” Aomine said, a mix of anger and annoyance on his face.

Harumi had already brought their food to them by this point, and the two were slowly eating their share.

Kise was happy to know that recounting his story significantly eased the air into a more comfortable one. He was happy to know that his feelings about the whole situation were reciprocated in Aomine, even if Aomine was a hothead to begin with and it didn’t take much to upset him.

“Yeah I’m not sure when, or even if, we’ll be able to make up that match. We might not get to play them until the inter-high,” Kise said with a sigh as he ate another bite of his food.

“Well, don’t worry, I’ll make sure to pay him two-fold for you,” Aomine replied, and Kise grinned.

“Neh, protecting my honor Aominecchi?” Kise teased, and tried to hold in a laugh at the way Aomine visible almost choked on his drink, before a subtle blush graced his dark complexion.

As expected, Aomine didn’t reply, and despite himself, Kise felt just a little proud of still being able to read Aomine despite the time that they had drifted apart.

“Anyway, I’ve been thinking…” Aomine started, a far-off look to his eye.

“What?! You’ve been _thinking_?” Kise interrupted, doing his best to fake surprise and laughed at the immediate change in Aomine’s demeanor as he glanced at Kise with a look of indignation.

“Shut up! I’m not an idiot you know!” Aomine practically growled out, and Kise waved his hand at the fuming boy.

“Sorry, sorry, you’re right, now what were you saying?” Kise tried to appease him, but not even the least bit sorry about getting the reaction he wanted.

This was nice, feeling at ease with Aomine enough to tease him without the help of someone else. Usually, when they were with either Momoi or Kuroko, he could count on them initiating the teasing and he would just jump in. Although sometimes, it was him that was on the receiving end.

Still, perhaps there was hope for them yet as friends.

“Anyway… I guess wondering is a better word…” Aomine continued, his face once more pensive, making Kise wonder just what it was that could make Aomine look so serious.

Suddenly getting the inkling that perhaps this dinner that Aomine had set up had more than met the eye, Kise held his tongue and waited for Aomine to say what he wanted to say.

“That guy that came looking for you a week ago…”

Kise felt his body tense as Aomine brought up the incident at the basketball court, confused at his own reaction as he thought of Kaiba.

Aomine paused in his line of questioning, and Kise honestly had no idea where he was going with it, or more importantly, why?

Aomine for his part, wasn’t quite sure why he decided to bring it up. It was probably a stupid thing to do, but he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it for the past week at all. That guy that had come looking for Kise, was no doubt the same guy that had been at Kise’s game the last time he went. The game where Kise had all but forgot about them as soon as he saw this guy and looked so excited to see. Only the last time he saw him, it had been the opposite, and Kise had seemed beyond upset to see him.

Who was he to make Kise feel such opposite emotions?

No matter what Satsuki and any of his friends thought about him, Aomine wasn’t completely an idiot, even if sometimes he did need a hint or push in the right direction.

But when it came to Kise, Aomine had always known.

He had always known that he felt drawn to the blonde, no matter how inexplicable it had seemed at the time.

Hitting him with the basketball in middle school, hadn’t been such an accident as he had made it out to be.

He had always wanted an interaction with the blonde, had seen him play in sports during their first year of middle school, and had found himself amazed at his plays and skills. He had wanted to see how he would fare in basketball, and even if it had been curiosity that started it all, it certainly didn’t end there. So when he found himself with a basketball in his hand, and Kise within reach, his body had acted on its own before his mind could even fathom a reason.

And after getting his wish, and Kise joined basketball, he had never quite been able to keep his hands off him. Whether it was just swinging an arm around him as they walked, pushing him, or hitting him on the head with whatever he could find, he always felt the need to be connected to Kise in some way. More so than anyone else on the team.

So when Satsuki started dropping hints their second year of high school that Kise might like someone, he hadn’t been all that surprised to be upset by the knowledge.

He had lingered on the thought for a long time, to the point that it would sometimes distract him during a game when he caught sight of blonde hair at the corner of his eye and he would instinctively turn toward it, costing him more than a few points. Not that it really made a difference so long as he were playing against a school that didn’t have the Generation of Miracles.

Still.

It finally occurred to him that maybe, the feeling he had always held for the blonde was of the not so innocent kind. That the reason that he felt some kind of way for the blonde that was so obviously different from anyone else, that if he thought too hard about it, was the reason he had never been able to actually ask a girl to date him despite the girls who obviously found him attractive and even confessed.

He _liked_ Kise Ryota.

The realization had turned his world upside down and shaken it to its very core.

But suddenly, all those feelings suddenly made sense. That place in his heart that only Kise had ever been able to reach without even knowing, the reason it was so easy to be around him, and the connection he felt to him made more sense than it ever had before.

Only to find out that Kise liked someone?

He didn’t want to give up Kise to anyone.

So, he found himself trying to spend as much time with Kise as possible, always finding an excuse to draw him in for a basketball game or reeling him in to a shopping trip for shoes or just to eat when he knew the blonde didn’t have practice or a photoshoot to go to.

Kise had never turned him down, and always seemed more than happy to spend time with him, which made Aomine happy in turn. If Kise was with him, he couldn’t be around whoever it was that he liked, and they couldn’t take him from him.

That had been enough for Aomine.

So when it was Kise who confessed to him, that day on the basketball court… it was Aomine who had been too shocked to react.

_“Aominecchi… I like you.”_

Those words changed his life.

Turned his world sideways and then right side up.

For the first time, Aomine didn’t need someone to spell it out for him, he just _knew_. Knew from the way his heart all but stopped, and the way the world suddenly seemed like a brighter place.

But more than anything, he _knew_ Kise.

Knew Kise in such an intimate way to recognize that _this_… this wasn’t the kind of empty words that he would tell Kuroko when he was complimenting him.

Knew that this tone that Kise was using, was not one he had ever heard him using with anyone.

This was something just for _him_.

Aomine Daiki of all people.

Probably the least deserving person in the world.

He had no work ethic to speak of outside of basketball, no feeling of responsibility when it came to anything or anyone. He had no ambition, and no desire to contribute to mankind in any shape or form.

But suddenly, by just hearing those words from his lips, on a basketball court of all places, after just another game that nevertheless felt more important than most games in his life when he thought about just who he was playing with, Aomine felt as if the fate of the world was in his hands.

Felt that if he chose to acknowledge those words, there would be no turning back.

Could he head down that route?

That route of so many unknowns?

He’d felt his mouth move almost as if by its own accord, and surprised himself with the calm of his voice as he asked.

_“For how long?”_

Did it even matter?

But of course, it did. Everything mattered when it came to Kise.

_“I think since the day I met you.”_

How many years had it been then?

If Aomine has suffered so much in the few weeks since he had come to the realization that he liked Kise as more than a friend, how had Kise done it for years?

How had he smiled so freely, and tolerated his obsession with everything idols and boobs that he flashed through his magazines at every turn?

How could he so easily confess to him after a game?

How could he be so strong? So brave?

And how could he, Aomine Daiki, possibly be enough to make up for years of being an idiot? For being oblivious? For putting him through that?

How could he be trusted to handle his heart?

He didn’t want to look at him.

Not yet.

He knew if he did, it would be his undoing, and not trusting himself to say or do the right thing, Aomine kept his gaze on the sky above him.

The question was… could he live with himself by turning his back on this new world?

This new world that despite all its unknowns, all its dangers… it had Kise in it?

Kise with his stupid cheery laugh and smile, with his stupidly adorable crying face, and his indominable spirit and will, who could be as much of an asshole as him if he didn’t like someone enough?

Kise with his insistent texting a million things a day, that nevertheless made Aomine feel as if he was important in someone’s life.

Kise who never gave up on him or himself, and who never stopped trying to give it his all against him.

And that’s when Aomine realized.

He didn’t want a world without Kise.

So even if there were so many things he didn’t know he could live up to, so many dangers and uncertainties about the choice that was laid out in front of him, a choice he never thought he would have to make, Aomine knew.

_“Alright… let’s give it a try.”_

And the tears that had run down Kise’s face had cemented it.

Because no matter how scared he was, Aomine wanted nothing more than to see every side of Kise. Wanted to do better and be just a little worthier of him.

“Aominecchi?”

Aomine was brought back to the present at the sound of Kise’s concerned voice.

Ah, that’s right.

He had done yet another impulsive move, and brought the blonde out here with the pretext of wanting to take him out for his birthday.

But was that really the reason? Or had Aomine only done so for his own selfish reason?

Because again, he was faced with the fear that Kise would be taken from him.

And this time, it wasn’t himself that Aomine had to fear from as it had been the last time.

This time, it was an actual person that Aomine had to fear.

Someone capable of making Kise feel a myriad of emotions, something he knew that not just anyone could do.

And what right did Aomine have to try and keep him from this new person?

Aomine had lost any right to the blonde in front of him months ago, when he told Kise they shouldn’t be together anymore.

Back then, his reasons had been so clear, had made so much sense in his mind.

But now… as he looked at the blonde in front of him, and when he remembered how he had looked at the mysterious brunette, Aomine couldn’t even begin to remember his reasoning.

“Just who was that guy? Is he still bothering you?” Aomine finally asked, finding it harder to voice his question than he had thought.

Afraid of what Kise's answer would be.

Yet despite that fear, Aomine never once took his gaze off Kise's face, watching closely as a range of emotions flashed across his face. There was unease, nervousness, and the hesitation wasn’t lost to Aomine, nor the tensing of Kise's body and twitching of his fingers around his chopsticks.

But what unnerved Aomine the most, was the way that Kise's body suddenly relaxed, as if Kise had thought of something that caused the tension to seep from his body, and instead, a soft smile formed on his lips and a warmth filled his eyes.

“Ah about that…” Kise began, his gaze on his bowl of food as he gingerly moved some rice around.

Aomine frowned.

“It’s kind of complicated…” Kise trailed off, and Aomine could visibly see the struggle within as Kise tried to form the right words to explain himself.

“You see… ah… well remember how I said I wanted to challenge the CEO of the company I wanted to audition for, since he was one of the best when it came to duel monsters?”

Aomine nodded, recalling the chat where Kise had first made his intention known and the preparation that he had put into his so-called deck and strategies with Momoi.

“Yeah?” Aomine voiced, an inkling of where Kise might be going with that information in in his mind.

“Well, that guy is actually him… Seto Kaiba. I got to meet him not too long ago, we dueled and we kind of became friends… and well, since I know you won’t tell anyone, I guess he’s kind of my boss too now, I managed to get a spot in his company’s campaign after the auditions a few weeks ago.”

Aomine blinked in both confusion and amazement. Confusion because he didn't know that so much had happened in Kise’s life in such a short amount of time, and amazement that he had accomplished everything he had wanted during that time, milestones that Kise had once shared with him as soon as they happened, which Aomine was only now learning.

It made him feel distant from Kise, something Aomine hadn’t thought would happen after the decision that he had made, although… perhaps he should have.

“Oh…”

Aomine was at a loss for words, but despite what Kise had just shared with him, there was still something that didn’t sit well with him.

“Well, why did you seem so upset to see him that day?” he asked.

“Ah, you see… we kind of had a disagreement over something. He said something that made me mad… but we talked about it and everything is fine! It’s nothing to worry about Aominecchi, really! He’s not a dangerous guy or anything, I promise I didn’t get involved with a gang or something…”

Aomine found it almost ironic, that while Kise was trying to reassure him that this Kaiba guy wasn’t a danger to his safety, it was a _different_ kind of danger that Aomine was really worried about. And while Kise hadn’t said anything that told him he was interested in this new guy as more than friends, a large part of him wasn’t convinced. After all, he had sought out Kise personally to talk about an issue, who did that for just a friend?

Not to mention, anyone could see how good-looking that guy had been, and Aomine hadn’t expected the so-called CEO of a company to be so _young_. It was obvious Kise looked up to and admired him, praising his skills and looking excited just by talking about him. They were sentiments that once Aomine had seen mostly directed at himself when it came to basketball. Seeing that there was someone else that Kise admired so openly didn’t exactly sit well with him.

“I see… well… I guess that’s good…”

Aomine didn’t know what else he could really say on the matter. And while having his question answered brought to mind more questions, they were questions that Aomine didn’t feel were his place to ask, not without feeling selfish on the matter.

His sentiments were further cemented when Kise steered the conversation away towards a different topic, asking about his family and upcoming matches, and Aomine liked to think he knew Kise well enough to know when he didn’t want to talk about a certain subject, and that in itself spoke volume to the blue-haired man.

It made his appetite all but disappear and taste like lead in his mouth.

* * *

“You really don’t have to walk me home, Aominecchi,” Kise said as they exited the restaurant, pausing just outside its doors to give Aomine the chance to head in the direction of the train station that would take him home.

Aomine for his part, only shrugged.

“It’s fine, I don’t mind, it’s not like you’re far from here anyway, and what would it make me if I didn’t make sure you got home okay just before your birthday?”

At his response, Kise laughed.

“Well okay, I’m glad I’ll have you to protect me from the dangers of the night, so I can live to see my eighteenth birthday,” Kise replied in a teasing tone, to which Aomine answered to by nudging him with his shoulder and a grunt.

“Well, hurry up. The dangers are waiting,” he said, smirking in turn as he led the familiar way towards Kise’s apartment.

Kise followed with a smile, falling into step beside his longtime rival and now ex-lover.

The temperature had dropped, and there was a chill in the air that caused Kise to resist the urge to rub his arms for warmth. He had never been good with the cold, and Kise hated the sudden urge to step closer to Aomine, knowing that the he always ran hot and had often been his source of warmth when the weather grew cold.

While he was glad that the two had been able to talk with relative ease throughout dinner, the bittersweet feelings that had yet to leave Kise remained. It was so hard, trying not to think of all the times they had shared as a couple when it was just the two of them, that for his last birthday, it had been Aomine that Kise had been most excited to share his birthday with.

And yet… despite having broken up with him, here Aomine was, asking to take him out for an early birthday dinner.

It was all sorts of confusing, and Kise struggled not to think much of it.

This was probably just Aomine’s way of showing him that he still mattered to him, even just as friends.

“Neh Aominecchi… thanks again for dinner tonight,” Kise voiced.

Aomine spared him a glance, an unreadable expression on his face that Kise didn’t know how to decode.

“Yeah… I figured this would be the best time to catch you…” he mumbled, and once more it caused Kise to smile.

“I guess I should be flattered that you remembered, huh?” Kise teased and was surprised when Aomine stopped in his tracks.

Kise also stopped, and turned to look at him, confusion clear on his face, and his eyes widened when he took in the look on Aomine’s face. His eyes had darkened, and there was a fire in his eyes that caused Kise’s heart to speed up, a defiance that both unnerved and excited him.

“Kise…” Aomine said, his tone one that meant to reprimand, and caused him to gulp.

“I would never forget your birthday.”

Aomine said it with such certainty that Kise suddenly felt guilty.

He had meant the phrase playfully, teasingly… but he could see that in doing so he had offended Aomine. And it wasn’t hard to figure out why. He had implied that Kise wasn’t important enough for Aomine to remember, despite their recent history. Implied that Aomine had already forgotten about their time together, the special bond that they had formed and moments they shared.

“Yeah… no… I didn’t mean…” Kise struggled to form words, unsure of what to say.

He was once against surprised when Aomine reached for him, hands on both of his arms so that they were facing each other and Kise was forced to look at Aomine’s face that was now directly in front of him.

“You are one of the most important people in my life, you know that right? That hasn’t changed…”

Kise felt his heart skip a beat, and he suddenly found it hard to swallow the lump in his throat at Aomine’s words.

He couldn’t look away from Aomine’s dark blue orbs. They were stern, determined, desperate… guilty? They were pleading with him, Kise knew. Pleading that Kise believe him, even if Kise wished that it wasn’t true. Because believing him made other things so much harder to understand.

“I believe you,” Kise said.

It came out in a whisper, but he could see the relief in Aomine’s eyes as his grip loosened on his arms and he let go of him, turning away and resuming the walk to Kise’s apartment.

Kise felt his heart constrict with pain, and the lump in his throat only seemed to grow, and this time, Kise had to blink to fight back the moisture he could feel building in his eyes.

_Why Aominecchi… just when I’m starting to think I can let you go… you go and do something like this…_

Kise forced his legs to move forward, forced himself to suppress the feelings that Aomine had made surface with his sincere words.

The rest of their walk was silent, with Aomine walking just a little ahead of Kise, and Kise keeping his gaze mostly on the ground ahead of him, cold forgotten as he became lost in his thoughts.

And when they finally reached his apartment complex, Kise had to force himself to look back at Aomine.

As Aomine fidgeted in front of him, Kise could see that he was guarded, and Kise was just about to thank him for walking him home and bid him goodnight when Aomine spoke first.

“Um… I got you something… for your birthday…” Aomine said, and Kise watched as he took out his hand from his pocket, only to see a small square box in said hand, which he outstretched towards him.

Kise couldn’t help by smile softly as he reached for the box and took it from the offering hand… leave it to Aomine to not even bother wrapping it.

Kise stared at the small black box for a brief moment, before looking back up at Aomine who looked at him expectantly and looked back to the box just as he opened it, taking off the cardboard lid.

His smile widened when he saw the silver studs that were inside. The earrings were nothing extravagant, silver with a small diamond inside.

“I remember you said you wanted to try something other than your hoop earring. I thought a stud would be a safe choice…” Aomine mumbled, and Kise was surprised that Aomine remembered that conversation more than six months prior.

He had always meant to buy a new set of earrings, but never quite got around to it.

“I love it Aominecchi… thank you,” Kise told him, nothing but sincerity in his voice.

“I’m glad you like it…”

The two shared a meaningful glance, a feeling of understanding hanging between them, before Aomine shifted in place and rubbed the back of his head.

“Well… I guess I’ll see you around. Goodnight Kise… happy birthday.”

Kise nodded.

“Goodnight Aominecchi…”

With a small smile, Aomine turned around, and began to walk in the direction of the train station, leaving the blonde to watch his retreating back before he too turned to walk into his beckoning apartment, a million emotions coursing through him.


	22. Tears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Perhaps its not so bad opening up to someone.

Kise Ryota was officially an adult.

Even after the constant teasing by his friends and teammates, especially considering he was the oldest out of many of his classmates, he didn’t feel particularly different, something he had honestly expected.

He thought being the magical age of eighteen would clear some of his doubts about his future, but in reality, all he really felt was added pressure. More than ever, people asked him what his plans for the future were now that he was an adult, and Kise didn’t know any more than he did a year ago or even a month ago. It was almost as if he had reached his deadline, and the fact that he still didn’t have any answers to those questions felt heavier than ever.

His birthday itself had been pleasant though. With his teammates taking him out for food and karaoke, they even had a get together at one of their houses where alcohol had been served and he made a drunken call to a certain brown-haired CEO… who wouldn’t tell him what he said and which he didn’t particularly remember. Still, it couldn’t have been that bad if Kaiba wasn’t teasing him about it, right?

His visit to his family was also pleasant, and they got him some really nice gifts. They had long ago learned that giving clothing and accessories to him as gifts wasn’t ideal since he got plenty of that through his agency and sponsors. Over the years his parents and sisters had often teasingly complained about how hard it was to pick the perfect gifts for him, to which Kise playfully rebuked that as the baby he deserved nothing but the best.

This year they really surprised him.

They got him a state-of-the-art laptop that Kise knew for a fact was not cheap, and told him that it should come in handy for college assignments and his sisters got him a pretty complex program for compiling videos and editing software to increase the quality of his photos or any such artistic future endeavors.

They were very considerate gifts and Kise appreciated the sentiment and support when it came to the thought behind it.

While he had planned to talk to his sisters about his newfound interest in Kaiba, another part of him had held him back.

Part of him knew that it was due to the confusing feelings that Aomine had given him when he took him out to dinner and gave him his gift, the gift that had since replaced his usual hoop earring.

But it felt all the more confusing since Aomine hadn’t reached out to him since, and Kise hadn’t found it in himself to reach out either. More than once Kise thought he had just overthought what was probably a simple birthday gift, with nothing else to it.

And if Kise was honest with himself, the only good thing that he could think of about finally being eighteen was that nobody could say he was off-limits to the one and only Seto Kaiba. He was of legal age now, and although he had told himself that he would put his friendship with Kaiba first, he couldn’t help but wonder if the next time they were alone they would feel the same chemistry that had been between them the last few times.

His trip to Domino City to sign and go over the contract with KaibaCorp and what would be required of him would be in two days’ time, and Kise was looking forward to his big break and what this new campaign had in store for him.

And even more, Kise just wanted a chance to see Kaiba.

They practically texted every day, and everyday Kise found himself wanting to see him and talk to him in person more and more. To hear his voice and see the slightest of changes in his expression and demeanor, to _feel_ how his presence could fill a room.

With a deep longing in his chest, Kise took out his phone and opened the messages between him and Kaiba, typing out a new message.

** _12:02_ **

**Can I see you on Saturday after the company business? Maybe we can meet for dinner if you’re not too busy?**

Kise had already told Kaiba the time scheduled for Saturday to go over the contract and what his part would be. Anami had told him the whole process would only take about two hours at most, and she had already reviewed the contract itself as far as compensation and legal matter and terms and conditions of the sort.

Kise had just finished his lunch when Kaiba’s reply came through.

** _Kaibacchi 12:15_ **

**Sure. I’ll have a car and reservations ready for when you’re done.**

Kise smiled widely as he read the message and excitement filled his chest. That had certainly been easier than he expected. He hadn’t even had to pull the birthday card. With that settled, all he had to do was to tell Anami that he would find his own way back since he had plans in the city, and hope that she left it at that and left him to his own devices. While Anami tended not to be overbearing, the fact that Kise would once again be leaving her after business was done, she was sure to get suspicious about the fact and ask questions.

Not that Kise cared too much, Anami would just have to deal with his secrecy.

After all, nothing would stop him from seeing Kaiba.

* * *

_You should get Kise something for his birthday, I’m sure he would really appreciate it._

Those had been Mokuba’s words during their last call when the blonde had undoubtedly come up in their conversation, and while Kise’s birthday had been knowledge to him since he first researched the blonde and the matter of the blonde himself bringing it up, it had come as a surprise that Mokuba also knew of the occasion, and wasn’t sure how to feel about the suggestion.

While it was considered conventional to get a birthday gift for friends, it wasn’t something Kaiba had ever done for anyone other than Mokuba. Not even Yugi could ever claim to have ever received a gift from him.

So why should he get one for Kise?

He had done his part to make amends after the unfair assumption of his motives, and Kise had seemed to forgive him and moved past his anger on the matter. There hadn’t been a shred of resentment that Kaiba could detect, and he really wasn’t under any obligation to do so.

Still…

He had often caught himself thinking back to Mokuba’s words and thought of the things that Kise had mentioned in passing to see if he had hinted particularly to anything he might like or want.

It wasn’t as if Kaiba could claim to have bothered to really ask any questions himself. Their conversations tended to revolve around Kise asking questions and himself answering them. He had thought about asking his own questions, but it always felt so unnatural that he could never quite bring himself to ask them. It was unlike him to not be straightforward, and while he certainly should just ask, the mechanics of friendship was so out of his comfort zone that he ended up berating himself for overthinking it all.

He had been about to put the whole idea of it behind him when Kise did something unexpected that incidentally gave him the answer to the question he hadn’t found it in him to ask. 

It had happened the night of Kise’s birthday itself. He had mentioned to him earlier that day that his teammates planned on taking him out for dinner and later going to a friend’s house where they planned to have a get-together.

Apparently, said get-together included alcohol, because before long into the night, Kaiba was receiving a fair share of inebriated text messages, obvious only due to the incomprehensible errors that made it hard to understand what the boy was trying to tell him with all the incorrect kanji he was using.

Kaiba had of course made some sarcastic remarks on his butchering of the Japanese language when in retaliation the blonde has thought it prudent to call him instead.

Kaiba remembered looking at his phone screen display the blonde’s name, debating whether he should answer and indulge the boy at what was then past midnight, or ignore the call and see whether he would leave an amusing voice mail.

In the end, he had found himself answering the call despite reason telling him otherwise.

_“Do you intend to speak clearer than you can write?” he answered._

_He could hear background sounds, people laughing loudly and music playing, and what sounded like voices trying to sing along to the words of whatever song was playing. _

_“Kaibacchiiii,” Kise answered, voice high-pitched and followed by what could only be described as a giggle, “I think I’m drunk…”_

_“Obviously…” Kaiba indulged, leaning back against the chair he had been reclining and staring out the window of his office._

_“My friends made me play a drinking game and I lost…” Kise replied, “what are you up to? And you better not say work!”_

_“What else would I be doing besides work?” Kaiba asked._

_“Mm… probably plotting how to take over the world. Or make real dragons… probably taking notes from Jurassic Land and doing some fancy DNA science… s-stuff…”_

_Kaiba had to raise an eyebrow at his imagination._

_“Well, those certainly do sound appealing…” _

_There was a laugh from the blonde boy, and Kaiba wasn’t sure what to think about the feeling of accomplishment he felt at the sound. _

_“That’s funny, you’re funny Kaibacchi! But hey, hey! Guess what!” _

_“What?”_

_“I’m officially eighteen! I’m an adult! Can we flirt now?” the excitement behind his voice was evident, and Kaiba stiffened at the innocence behind it despite the slurring of his words from the alcohol he had drank. _

_Still, those drunken words stirred something that Kaiba had been trying to ignore since the day he asked Kise to forgive him, something that Kaiba still couldn’t quite believe he had gone out of his way to do. _

_Obviously Kise was different… different in the way that Kaiba wasn’t his usual self when it came to him. His attraction to him was obvious, he had already known he found the blonde unnaturally good-looking, and the only thing that had held him back from accepting Kise’s advances had been his more cautious side when it came to someone so young and his fear of jeopardizing all he had worked for and his reputation. _

_But now… Kise was right. He was eighteen. Legally an adult in the eyes of the world. But would it be any less scandalous? He was seven years his senior, and while that might not seem like much to some people, it certainly did to others. _

_Not to mention… the innocence behind Kise’s words reminded him just how young and inexperienced Kise truly was. Sure, Kise was far from immature... but was he not still a kid in his youth?_

_“Why do you want that so badly?” Kaiba asked, genuinely curious._

_There was a shuffling static over their connection, as if Kise was rearranging the phone. _

_“Umm… because you’re crazy hot? Like… one of the hottest guys I’ve ever seen?”_

_Kaiba raised an eyebrow at Kise’s honest response, yet a part of him was slightly disappointed. _

_“Well… glad to know I’m just a pretty face,” Kaiba remarked._

_“Nuh huh!” Kise replied indignantly, “You’re way more than a pretty face!”_

_Kaiba once more tensed, his body rigid as his eyes narrowed at the blonde’s words, but before he could say anything, Kise spoke again._

_“You’re good looking, no doubt. But you’re also funny when you want to be, without even trying really! Not to mention a genius, and even though you want to seem as if you don’t care about much, I think that what you do care about, you’re very passionate about! Especially when it comes to your company, and duel monsters, and Mokuba. I really admire that. You worked hard and sacrificed a lot to get to where you are now, and accomplished your goals when most people don’t even know what they want. I also like how straightforward and honest you are, even if it’s off putting to most people. I think more people should be honest like you. And I know that there’s so much more to you than you let on, and it made me really happy to have met you and have the chance to get to know you! Because well… I want to get to know all of you, the good and the bad! If you’ll let me…”_

Ba dump.

_For the second time, Kise Ryota once more managed to do the impossible, and Kaiba was reminded of that moment not so long ago, with Kise sitting across the table from him, a warmth in his eyes and a promise reflecting in those golden orbs as he told him he wanted to play Duel Monsters with him again. _

_He couldn’t see that warmth through the phone, but this time, he could _hear_ it in the softness of his voice, in the sincerity behind it._

_“You’re ridiculous…”_

_Why did he suddenly feel as if it was harder to breathe, and why did he feel as if his heart constricted in his chest at the sound of Kise’s resounding laugh at his words?_

_“It’s okay if you don’t want to let me in right away Kaibacchi… I’ll be patient if that’s what you need. But don’t think for one second that you’ll be able to get rid of me easily! I still have to beat you at duel monsters!”_

_The proclamation managed to shake Kaiba from the unfamiliar warmth that pooled in his chest at Kise’s previous words, grounding him in familiar territory at the challenge._

_“That might take you a while then,” Kaiba replied._

_“Hmph! I could have beat you if you had let me use the deck I made at the audition! I’m still mad at you for that! How dare you make me create the perfect deck only to not let me use it…” _

_Kaiba could practically feel the pout on Kise’s lips as he huffed through the phone, and Kaiba could picture the indignant look that must have been on his face just then. _

_Kise was right to boast, however. Kaiba would agree that the deck that Kise created had been the best by far among those created that day. It had truly been a shame not to see it in action._

_“But no worries… I’ll just make that deck for real!” Kise said, voice full of conviction. _

_“Is that so?” Kaiba challenged, a grin on his face._

_“Is s-so! Just you wait!”_

_Before Kaiba could reply, there was a commotion on the other end, what sounded like some loud voices calling Kise’s name, only for Kaiba to remember that Kise hadn’t been alone that night. Yet the unfamiliar voices and music had been lost to him, and Kaiba wondered if Kise had gone somewhere quieter without Kaiba realizing it. Had he been so lost in the conversation?_

_Kaiba could hear someone ask Kise who he was talking to and teasing from his friends about Kise leaving his own party to talk to him, although it seemed they were under the impression that Kise was speaking to a girl. _

_Not wanting to give anything away, Kaiba thought it best to end their conversation. _

_“I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” Kaiba said into the phone, not quite sure that the blonde would even be able to hear him while trying to appease his friends’ curiosity as he ended the call on his cell phone. _

_After all, he had no doubt in his mind that Kise would text him in the morning as he always did._

He had been right of course.

Like clockwork, Kise had texted him the next day, although much later than usual.

Kaiba found himself wondering if Kise had ever been drunk before, or if that would be his first time nursing a hangover, and even if he would remember the drunk call he made to him, yet he asked none of his questions.

It seemed Kise wasn’t completely oblivious, since he had checked his phone to see if he had done anything embarrassing, and saw that indeed he had called Kaiba and had an eight-minute conversation with him. When Kise said he didn’t remember much and asked what they talked about, Kaiba told him it was nothing important worth recalling, just Kise saying idiotic things.

Kise had pushed of course, adamant on knowing what kind of things, but Kaiba hadn’t budged. Partly because how could he replay Kise’s words to him that left him uneasy for reasons he didn’t want to admit? And partly because it was just amusing to see Kise flustered and frustrated from his lack of knowledge.

Not to mention that after that conversation, Kaiba had found the answer to the question that had gnawed at him.

His phone alerted him of a new message, and Kaiba opened it and read its content with a pleased smile.

** _Kise Ryota 12:02_ **

**Can I see you on Saturday after the company business? Maybe we can meet for dinner if you’re not too busy?**

And Kise just made it easier for him.

* * *

Saturday couldn’t have come sooner, and after another restless night, Kise was on his way to Domino City in their agency car.

“I sincerely hope you don’t change your mind yet again, Kise, not that I think the agency would allow it this time…” Anami said from alongside him as she took a sip from the caffeinated drink in her hand.

Kise smiled as he looked out the window of the car. The sun was still rising to its apex, and it wouldn’t be long before they arrived at the city that had so much Kise wanted to explore, and the man that continued to intrigue him.

“Don’t worry Anami, I have no such intentions, promise,” Kise replied, meeting the woman’s curious gaze and only looking away when she seemed convinced.

Anami for her part, was still perplexed on the matter and Kise’s abrupt and unexpected change of heart when it came to this particular job. He had been adamant on trying for an audition, and excited to have gotten it. She had been able to see that Kise had wanted this more than any other modeling job, only for Kise to call her the next day after getting accepted and telling her not to accept the contract and he had no intention of working with KaibaCorp.

She had been shocked, but no matter how hard she pressed, Kise refused to tell her why he chose to decline the contract he had seemed so eager to get for months. All she could gather from their phone call was that Kise had been angry, angry in a way Anami had never heard from him before.

Only for a week later to Kise once again reach out and tell her he wanted the contract after all, and leaving her reach out to the company and see if it was possible for Kise to still be accepted into the campaign. It had been a surprisingly easy conversation to have, and the representative had given them no hassle when it came to reextending the contract. In fact, it had been easier than Anami would have thought for having already declined the offer.

Anami wanted to press the young man, but having children herself, and working with so many models and idols throughout the years, she knew when they were intent on keeping a secret. And she knew that it was best to let them come to you than press forcefully. Hopefully before it was too late. Or at the very least, before too much damage was done.

“Kise,” she started, and waited for him to once more give her his attention as he turned to look at her.

“You know you can trust me, right?” She asked soothingly.

She watched him intently and didn’t miss the look of surprise on his face, but his hesitation to answer and the way he too searched her face only confirmed her suspicions.

“O-of course I do, why do you ask that?” He asked cautiously, as if he thought she knew something she shouldn’t.

She smiled sincerely.

“No reason. I just want to remind you that I’m on your side. If you ever need advice or help, you can come to me. Don’t forget that.”

She didn’t look away while he blinked in confusion that shifted to one of relief as he visibly relaxed, and his golden eyes brightened as he smiled back at her.

“Thanks… I appreciate that,” Kise replied, and Anami knew that he meant it.

Whatever he was hiding, she just hoped that it wasn’t something he would regret.

Thirty minutes later, they were in the outskirts of Domino City, and even if he had been here before, the sight of it still left him in awe as he looked at the skyline and surrounding buildings and people walking in the sidewalks. Kise would love nothing more than walk among them and have a closer look at the sights, but alas, business came first.

And since KaibaCorp was in the heart of the city, it took another fifteen minutes before they reached their destination. Kise once more felt excitement at the sight, simply from knowing that he had made it to this point where he was _working _with KaibaCorp.

He followed Anami out of the car and into the building, where she walked to the reception area and asked for the location of the room they were told they would be meeting in.

Rather than simply be directed to the floor and room number, the man in the reception desk called down a guide, who arrived only a moment later, a young woman dressed in a professional attire bearing the KaibaCorp logo on a white and blue knee-length short-sleeved dress.

With a polite smile, the young woman led the way to the elevator and to the eleventh floor, making amiable chat with Anami about their commute there until they reached the room where their would be conducted and bidding them goodbye after she shared a few words to let the people inside know that they were there.

Kise and Anami walked in to see a man and a woman sitting on table with laptops in front of them.

“Welcome! Glad you could make it,” said the man as he stood from his seat and greeted them with a polite smile, the woman doing the same.

“We’re glad to be here.”

“Thank you for having us.”

“Please, have a seat, I hope you’re as excited as we are to finalize the contract and get to the good stuff,” said the woman.

“My name is Shuji, and this is Maki,” the man introduced themselves as Anami and Kise sat down.

“Anami, and I’m sure you know Kise Ryota,” Anami replied.

“I’m very excited to be working with KaibaCorp,” Kise said with a bright smile.

“We’re happy to have you, your duel was amazing, we think you’ll do great in what we have planned.”

At Maki’s words, Kise’s eyes brightened. He had been wondering what exactly KaibaCorp had planned that required a duel and making a deck as part of the audition, and he was just about to find out.

“But before we can say anything more, we do need to go over everything legal and get everything signed, starting with our non-disclosure agreement…”

* * *

Kise didn’t know if he could possibly be more excited.

KaibaCorp really was something else, no doubt about it, and he was glad that his part would be more than just a pretty face to the company.

After an hour and a half of going over what his part in the upcoming campaign, Kise couldn’t be happier. It would take place near the end of summer, which left them about two months’ time to prepare. They had taken measurements for what Kise would wear and had given him a script of phrases required of him to say along with a schedule for the fittings and rehearsals that he would have to go to.

It would certainly be a challenge, since he also needed to keep up his practices and training for the inter-high right around the corner, and he tried not to feel guilty about being more excited for his new opportunity over high last year of basketball.

“So, do you want to get some food and explore the city before heading back? It’d be a shame to leave so soon after coming out here on such a beautiful day,” Anami suggested as they exited the elevator that led them to the ground floor.

Kise smiled sheepishly at her, remembering that he still had to tell her his plans for the rest of the day.

“Actually Anami… I made plans with a friend in town so I was just going to take the train back home later…” he said as he looked at her apologetically.

Anami frowned as she placed a hand on her hip.

“Kise Ryota… you tell me this now?” she reprimanded.

“Well you know, I didn’t think it’d be a big deal,” he mumbled, although in reality he hadn’t really wanted to say anything before then in fear of an interrogation.

Anami sighed and shook her head.

“Honestly Kise, you’ll be the death of me, but well, it’s not the first or last time you do this,” she grumbled, “Suit yourself, but text me when you’re home so I know you made it back safe. The last thing I need is to lose you right before this big campaign.”

Kise grinned.

“Okay, _mom_,” he teased, to which Anami only rolled her eyes.

“Do you need a ride anywhere?” she asked as they stepped outside into the warm air.

Kise shook his head.

“No, it’s okay, they’ll pick me up.”

It seemed as if Anami wanted to ask more, but maybe after reminding herself that she was just his agent and not really his mother, she stopped herself.

“Okay, well behave yourself,” she said instead, “bye!”

Kise waved as Anami walked towards the waiting company car.

“Bye! Take care!” he called out with a smile.

He watched as she stepped into the car, offered one last wave, and drove off.

He was glad that Anami hadn’t asked any more questions and felt more at ease knowing he was free to follow through with what he had planned next.

With that in mind, Kise pulled out his phone, and sent a quick text to Kaiba, asking him where he should meet the car he had said he would send for him now that he was done with business.

** _Kaibacchi 13:08_ **

**I’ll pick you up in ten minutes.**

Kise smiled at the quick response, and texted back a quick affirmative before sitting down on the steps that led down to the sidewalk level at the valet style entrance of KaibaCorp.

He already felt giddy just knowing that Kaiba would be on his way soon, and he tried his best to distract himself with phone and thinking over what the future had in store for him.

* * *

Kaiba had stayed at his penthouse in the city the night before. He had been up all-night working on a new modification to the interdimensional ship for Yugi’s upcoming use of it to visit Atem, and it had been easier to go to his penthouse in his sleep deprived state than all the way to the mansion since he didn’t want to call his driver at such ungodly hours in the morning.

To his surprise, he had slept well into the afternoon, so that when Kise texted him that he was finished with KaibaCorp business, he had just gotten out of the shower and in the middle of putting on his clothes for the day.

Thankfully KaibaCorp was only a few minutes away from his penthouse, and it wasn’t long before he was ready to pick up the younger boy.

He had chosen a different outfit for the day.

He had put on a pair of dark gray slacks and maroon button up shirt and decided against a tie, choosing to leave the top few buttons undone instead, revealing the black undershirt beneath.

Hair still wet, Kaiba was in his car in a few minutes in the attached car garage and on his way to KaibaCorp, wondering not for the first time how his life led him to driving to pick up a blonde basketball prodigy who now worked under his company and who he was taking to a birthday dinner in a few hours.

Friendship huh… it would take a while to get used to. 

He wanted to feel foolish, he wanted to be upset with himself for indulging in trivial matters, of indulging a barely adult boy in the name of a friendship he never should have accepted. But he didn’t feel any of those things. Instead, he simply felt… at ease. Something he only ever felt with Mokuba and sometimes Yugi.

He tried not to think much of it as he approached the familiar tall building that was his company and blonde hair caught his eye as he slowed in front of the stairs where Kise was seated.

Hearing the car slow and come to a stop in front of him, Kise looked up from his phone and caught sight of the familiar car.

Kaiba tried not to think about how the brightening of Kise’s face and the excited smile on his lips made him feel.

Kaiba unlocked the car doors as Kise got up and approached the car, offering a small wave as he reached him, opening the car door and giving Kaiba an even larger smile.

“Yo!” He greeted as he sat down on the passenger seat and closed the door behind him.

“Thanks for picking me up, Kaibacchi, I’m so excited to spend some time with you,” Kise said as he settled into the seat.

“Well, the reservation isn’t for another three hours, what do you want to do until then?” Kaiba said.

It was then that Kise took in Kaiba’s appearance.

It was odd to see him out of his usual outfit with the white long coat, but as always, Kaiba seemed to look good in anything. The maroon shirt hugged Kaiba’s figure nicely, showing off his lean frame, making him look casual but reminded Kise that Kaiba could very well be his own model if he truly wanted to. He also noticed his still wet hair, and before he realized what he was doing, Kise had reached out and grabbed a wet tendril with his fingers.

Kaiba felt the featherlike touch of Kise’s fingers on the side of his hair and felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end and a shiver run down his back. He had to resist the urge to lean into the touch, choosing to glance Kise’s way instead.

Kise didn’t flinch or snatch his hand away like Kaiba thought he would, instead, the blonde stared innocently back at him and flicked his hair instead, so that a few droplets from the wet tendrils splattered onto Kaiba’s face, causing the man to glare while Kise laughed and took his hand back.

“Hm, I wouldn’t mind a tour of this great city, what are the sights?” Kise asked after his laughter subsided.

Kaiba knew what was considered Domino’s attractions, but when he thought about it, he had never thought to go to any of them outside of business reasons.

“Well, there’s Domino Plaza, one of the biggest malls in the country. Domino Central Park, the center of Domino city. Domino City Museum. I would suggest Kaiba Land, but you’d need more than three hours to see it all.”

Kise thought on Kaiba’s suggestions. The only one he knew of was Kaiba Land, since it was also something he had wanted to visit as a child. And although he would love to take a trip to another of Kaiba’s accomplishments, Kise knew that Kaiba was right, and only two hours would not be enough to truly take everything in.

“Unless you want me to spend all my birthday money at the mall, I think we should stick to something free like the park. Some fresh air after a week of indoor activities sounds perfect.”

It wasn’t exactly true. Kise just figured if he wanted to make the most of his time with Kaiba in the little time they had, something with the least distractions like a park might be the way to go. Not to mention, a mall full of teenagers would mean likelier chances that someone would recognize him, something Kise rather not deal with if he wanted to make his time count.

“Are you sure?” Kaiba asked, glancing briefly at Kise as he navigated the Domino traffic.

Kise grinned back at him, suddenly feeling playful.

“Unless you’re offering to buy me everything I want.”

Kaiba shrugged, and Kise blinked, suddenly speechless.

“W-wait, you’re serious? You would do that?” Kise asked, leaning in his seat slightly to get a better look of Kaiba’s face.

“So long as it’s not completely idiotic,” he answered, as if what he said was nothing more than an everyday occurrence to him.

Kise blinked, before bursting out laughing. Just how endless was Kaiba’s supply of money?

“You’re crazy! Maybe I’ll take you up on that one day, but not today. I’d need a full day for that!”

Kise was even more surprised by the small smirk on Kaiba’s face that formed.

“Are you so sure I’ll offer again?” he asked, and Kise laughed again.

“I guess we’ll have to see for my next birthday, huh?” Kise replied.

As requested, Kaiba took them to Domino Central Park, and like the rest of Domino, it left Kise awestruck. It was enormous, and that was just from what Kise could see. Kise would have thought it a forest if it wasn’t for the pedestrian sidewalks and bike paths throughout the park. It was busier than Kise had expected too, with people walking, biking, skateboarding, roller blading, and walking their pets.

As they followed the walking path deeper into the park, Kise saw that the pathways were adorned by fountains, statues, work-out areas, playgrounds for kids, and so much more. There was so much that signs were everyone to point the directions of main attractions in the park.

“Wow, this park is huge!” Kise admired, certainly glad he wore comfortable shoes.

“This park is considered on par with Central Park in New York,” Kaiba mentioned, watching the delight on Kise’s face as he took in his surroundings.

“Really? That’s amazing! How often do you come here? There’s so much to do,” Kise said, tearing his gaze away from the park to look at Kaiba, who didn’t meet Kise’s gaze as he answered.

“Never… this is the first time I’ve been here.”

At his response, Kise halted, and once more gaped at Kaiba.

“What?! You mean you’ve lived here most of your life and never been here?” he asked incredulously.

Kaiba sighed as he paused in his walk, throwing Kise an defiant glare.

“I’ve had no reason to come or business to attend to here.”

Kise shook his head and began walking again.

“That’s silly Kaibacchi. You know that saying… how does it go… all work and no play, something or other?” Kise recalled with slight difficulty, making Kaiba scoff in indignation and Kise laugh.

“I get that work is important to you, but you should make time for other stuff too. Tell you what, I’m going visit you whenever I have free time on the weekends, and we’re going to visit every must-see place this city has to offer!”

Kaiba glanced at Kise, meeting his golden determined gaze.

“Really now?” Kaiba challenged, as if Kise was bluffing.

“Yep! It’s a promise!” Kise replied with a grin.

Kaiba wished he could say that Kise’s persistence irritated him, but he felt nothing of the sort at Kise’s insistence. Instead, he felt vaguely comforted by the thought that Kise wanted to come out for the sole purpose of doing something for _him_, even if Kaiba thought it unnecessary to see everything Kise thought was important. He cared little for sights and pointless ventures most people seemed to enjoy. There were more important things that could be done with that time.

But he also knew that he didn’t mind being out in Central Park with the blonde. The breeze felt nice against his skin, and the smell of recently cut grass, sounds of running water, and chirping birds in the distance weren’t the most unpleasant things in the world.

He had never had the urge to visit Central Park, and even Mokuba had come out here on dates and with friends in his teenage years. He was sure everyone in Domino had come here at least once in their lives, all except for him. Had he really shut himself out from the world for the sake of his work?

He didn’t deny that he had in a way, but he also didn’t regret any of it. The work he did was important, and he could never regret any of it, even if it meant missing out on things that others considered just as important.

Still… perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad, to indulge the blonde.

“If you say so,” Kaiba replied, closing his eyes and as he also continued walking, hand in his pocket and the very picture of indifference.

Kaiba’s acquiescence made a wave warmth bubble up in Kise’s chest.

“Neh, Kaibacchi…” Kise said, leaning slightly closer to the brunette.

“Hn?”

“What was your childhood like, if you don’t mind me asking…”

The last time the two had really talked was when they went to dinner, and it had been Kise that had mostly talked about himself. And over texts, there was only so much Kise could ask knowing that Kaiba only sent short and to the point responses. If he really wanted to know Kaiba, Kise needed Kaiba to speak, here and in person.

Kise didn’t have high hopes that Kaiba would open up, but it was better to try and fail than never try at all. After all, what were the chances he would be there and then alongside his childhood idol if he never bothered to try and risk failure when he asked Mokuba if he was willing to set up a duel against his brother?

Which was why, when only a small amount of silence stretched, Kise was surprised when Kaiba spoke.

“I don’t remember much from before my parents died. I’m not sure why, since I wasn’t that young when it happened. I mostly remember the anger and resentment I felt, partly to them for dying, and the rest at the family that used their deaths to steal what should have been Mokuba’s and mine. We were in the orphanage for some time, with no one wanting to adopt both of us together, and neither willing to be adopted without the other. When we were adopted by Gozaburo, my every waking moment was spent studying. I had to learn everything there was to learn to be a successful heir.

There was no time for games, no rest, and hardly enough sleep, not if I wanted to excel. I pushed myself to exhaustion, exceeded all the tests Gozaburo set out for me, and took over KaibaCorp when Gozaburo threatened to use my virtual reality technology for warfare. Once KaibaCorp was under my control, I was in charge of my own life again, and enrolled in High School to get my diploma, converted KaibaCorp to a gaming company, and set out to do everything I have until now.”

Kaiba paused when he felt Kise stop behind him and turned to see why he stopped.

He wasn’t prepared for what he saw.

There he stood, a hand clutched to his chest, and a look on his face that Kaiba wasn’t sure how to describe. There was a softness on his face, something that invoked the word _lost_ in his mind, and a deep sorrow in his golden eyes that sent a pang of pain to Kaiba’s own chest, and as a tear escaped the corner of Kise’s eye and traveled down his cheek, Kaiba felt his own breath hitch.

_Why?_

Why was this boy crying?

Kaiba felt a flurry of emotions.

The first was confusion, but it was soon replaced with anger and resentment, the emotions he knew best.

“If crying is your idea of showing me pity, you can stop it now. I don’t need it, nor do I want it,” Kaiba practically hissed, regretting telling Kise what he knew he should have kept to himself. There was a reason he never spoke of his past, this was as good as any.

_“Don’t be an idiot!”_

Kaiba was surprised by Kise’s angry and reprimanding outburst, even more so by the way more tears ran down his face, and how Kise made no move to stop them or wipe them away.

“I’m crying _for_ you…” he continued, his voice softer and shakier, “because… because... despite everything… I can’t imagine that you ever cried for yourself…and because… it _is_ sad… that you had to go through so much, not having the childhood that everyone should…”

Because yes, the tale that Kaiba spoke of was one that anyone would see as traumatic, but it was the way that Kaiba spoke of it that felt heaviest of all, flat and uncaring as if he was speaking about the process of building a computer, except even that telling Kise was sure of would have more emotions than how Kaiba spoke of his childhood.

Kise understood the need to be strong, to put up walls when weakness and insecurities surfaced against your will. He had been doing that ever since he met the Generation of Miracles, and even more so within the past year in his last year of High School and through his breakup with Aomine.

But none of that…none of it…was to the level of what Kaiba had gone through. To lose his parents young, be robbed by his family, and been pushed to the lengths he had been by a horrible man that was his step father…

Only to speak of it all as if it didn’t affect him.

The story Kaiba told him wasn’t one of a child, but of a _lost_ _childhood_. Kaiba was never able to simply be naïve, to play superhero and with toy cars, and if he had, those times were forgotten. Hidden away because it was too painful to remember for him.

It took all his will power not to reach out and cling onto Kaiba’s arm. He wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch the man, wanted to feel closer to him in some way, shape, or form, to show him that he truly wasn’t alone in the world.

Kaiba felt his chest constrict, unsure of how to reply, and remained silent as he watched Kise finally reach for his face and slowly wipe away the tears.

“But I won’t pity you… I won’t pity you because despite what you’ve just told me… you’re here, one of Japan’s richest and most successful businessman, with the world at your fingertips, and with the power to do more with a snap of your fingers than most people can ever hope to accomplish in their lifetime. No Kaibacchi… pity is the last thing I could ever have for you…”

Kaiba felt as if there was a knot in his throat, making it painful and hard to swallow as he took in Kise’s words.

“Because you never gave up… when others would have given up and accepted their fate… you chose to fight for your own. If anything, it makes me admire you even more…”

Kaiba clenched his fists, and willed himself to turn around, away from Kise’s disarming words.

“You’re a fool…” he mumbled, and Kise smiled at the lack of conviction behind those words and took the steps needed so that he was next to the brunette again.

“I can live with that…” Kise answered softly, “But this fool has more questions.”

And so Kise asked. He asked all the questions he wanted to know as they made their way through the large park, over bridges, past streams, and walked through a garden of some of the most beautiful plants and flowers Kise had ever seen.

And surprisingly, Kaiba answered them.

He told him about the how Kaiba had always dreamed of building Kaiba Land, and of how Gozaburo had thought it silly and taken away all his games, how Mokuba had snuck him a picture of his drawing of Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and how Kaiba had vowed that one day he would have the real thing.

He told him of the tests that Gozaburo set out for him, of giving him two percent of the company and asking that he return two hundred times that amount, of how he had done it in a day. He told him how he couldn’t stand the thought of his invention being used in war to take lives and destroy lands, and how he plotted the take over with the Big Five and won.

And after only a small moment of hesitation, Kaiba told Kise how Gozaburo couldn’t handle his defeat and killed himself, and of how it was kept away from the public and only reported as an accidental death to save face for the man.

By the time they left the park to make their dinner reservations, Kise could hardly recall the park itself. All he could think of was Kaiba’s voice, the way that if he listened closely enough, Kise could hear a slight strain in his voice, a hint of pride, and fondness when it came to his brother, because Kaiba’s calm and aloof demeanor betrayed none of that.

“Thanks for confiding in me Kaibacchi…your past is safe with me.”

Kaiba had never cared for the past.

It was an unchangeable variable, something to learn from and nothing more.

But somehow, speaking to Kise about it made him feel lighter, as if a weight had been taken off his shoulders, a burden he hadn’t known he had carried around with him all this time.

Yes, the future was all that mattered.

And now, the presence of Kise Ryota was a variable that Seto Kaiba had no idea how to handle.


	23. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaiba shares his ancient Egyptian past with Kise.  
Will Kise believe him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm posting two chapters today because I have a big chapter planned to post tomorrow and I'm going to be very busy the rest of the week and just don't want to wait haha. So enjoy!

It was a different restaurant than the one they visited last time, but Kise could tell immediately is was just as high-class. White tablecloths and everything. They were seated soon after their arrival and given bread and butter to start until they were ready to order.

Kise was happy to note that they had a waiter this time, which would hopefully save them from any googly-eyes and flirting for the duration of their dinner.

Kise wanted to keep dinner a lighthearted manner after Kaiba’s retelling of his past at the park. And Kaiba happily let Kise take over the conversation as Kise filled the silence with his retelling of recent happenings at school, his modeling career, and what his parents and sisters got him for his birthday.

Kaiba for his part, didn’t mind Kise’s endless chatter as he listened on, and all the encouragement Kise needed to keep talking was the subtle showings of amusement in Kaiba’s blue eyes.

Indeed, Kaiba wondered how Kise Ryota could be so bewitching, since he found that the excitement and glow behind Kise’s golden eyes was more than enough to keep his attention trained on the blonde as he talked.

They ordered their food just as Kise finished telling him about a practical joke some girls played on the boy’s swim team that colored their bodies blue.

“So Kaibacchi, will you tell me about that time that duel monsters showed up all over the world? How did you manage that? I asked Mokubacchi, but I don’t think his answer was the truth…” Kise said.

It only took a moment for Kaiba to remember what Kise was talking about, the incident with Dartz and the Leviathan.

“What did Mokuba say?” Kaiba asked, genuinely curious.

“Well, he said something about you and some people having to collect legendary dragons to defeat an evil sorcerer that summoned the duel monsters from another dimension to revive some kind of monster that would steal our souls? I told him he should make that into a movie,” Kise replied.

Kaiba had to give to it Kise, for Mokuba to tell him the full truth. He knew that no one would ever believe the truth, but it was an unspoken understanding between everyone that their adventures involving ancient Egyptian magic was better left between them.

“Mokuba told you the truth.”

Kise’s eye widened.

Coming from Kaiba, the story that Mokuba told him suddenly took on a whole new meaning. It was one thing for someone like Mokuba to tell such an elaborate story, and another for Seto Kaiba to confirm it. Was it possible that Kaiba could lie for the sake of joking? Perhaps to back up his brother… but still…

“No way! You’re not lying? This isn’t a joke? Because if you say it’s true… I’ll believe you,” Kise said, his tone disbelieving, but his eyes more serious than they had been before.

Kaiba wondered if it was true, if Kise would believe something that took him years to come to terms with at his word alone.

“It’s true.”

Kaiba’s face was stern as he spoke, and Kise couldn’t see a tell sign that said this was a hoax, not that Kise was confident in his ability to catch Kaiba in a lie. He had no doubt that he had a lifetime of perfecting his poker-face that was almost a must have in the business world.

Yet despite it all, Kise couldn’t deny that a large part of him believed Kaiba’s words, simply because Kaiba said it was so.

“Well…” Kise trailed, drinking a long gulp of his water as if the water would help him better process the words that Kaiba told him.

“Any other supernatural things happen in your life?”

Kaiba considered his answer to Kise. Would telling him the truth of his past be too much? How could someone who hadn’t experienced what he had actually believe him on his word alone? He knew Kise couldn’t possibly be convinced. No one in their right mind would believe a story like that.

If nothing else, it seemed amusing to see what Kise’s reaction would be to his Egyptian past.

“Well,” Kaiba started, crossing his fingers in front of him as he looked at Kise.

“I’m the reincarnation of an ancient Egyptian priest from five thousand years ago, who later became pharaoh when the original pharaoh sacrificed himself to save the world from an evil monster. And turns out that my bond to Blue-Eyes goes back to those times when only I could summon it.”

Kise was silent for a moment, food forgotten as he regarded Kaiba seriously, but again saw nothing that gave away whether Kaiba was telling the truth or not. While Kise couldn’t say he was convinced in his heart of hearts, he also felt doubt in his doubts.

Kise had always been open-minded when it came to things beyond his understanding. While he wasn’t a religious person, he did believe that there was more to the world than people could imagine, he just wasn’t the kind to delve too deeply into things he couldn’t fathom.

But Kaiba… he was a man of science, creating technology that revolutionized the game world, and whose understanding was much grander than Kise’s. When he thought about it that way, it was much easier for Kise to wrap his head around the information he was being given. Maybe Kaiba was just messing with him, but Kise chose to believe him anyway. He trusted him to come clean if it was a joke.

“Well Kaibacchi… you really are an overachiever then. One lifetime as a ruler wasn’t enough? You had to rule over your own company in this lifetime too?” Kise jokingly chastised with a smile that told Kaiba he was teasing.

Kaiba for his part, raised an eyebrow at Kise’s seemingly easy acceptance of what he told him, but Kaiba also knew that Kise might just be going along with it and humoring him.

“I gotta say though,” Kise continued, this time a warm look in his eye that caught Kaiba’s attention, “I think it’s wonderful that you loved your Blue-Eyes so much in a past life that it carried on into your current life. I’d be worried if it was a girl.”

Kise laughed, and Kaiba felt himself tensing slightly at the unintentional accuracy of Kise’s words.

“Well…” Kaiba found himself hesitating, confused why he felt the need to clarify to Kise the story behind Blue-Eyes from the visions he had seen so long ago.

Kise saw Kaiba’s hesitation clear as day, and felt his eyes widened.

“Wait… it _was_ a girl?” Kise asked, his shock evident in the slight raising of his voice.

“In a way…” Kaiba sighed.

He had never had to explain to anyone besides Mokuba what he had seen from his glimpses from the past, and Mokuba at least knew that he wasn’t lying and had some understanding of the magic of their world.

“The spirit of Blue-Eyes was contained within the soul of a woman named Kisara. The Seto from that time saved her from bandits that were after her. In return, she gave her life to protect him from his father and the Blue-Eyes became a physical manifestation of her soul that remained by his side.”

Kise didn’t like how his heart constricted at Kaiba’s words. Suddenly what Kaiba spoke of seemed more real, because he couldn’t imagine Kaiba making up a story like that as a joke. Not something so… _romantic_. Not to mention… now that he thought back on it… hadn’t Kaiba named his AI after the woman? He remembered both Kaiba and Mokuba refer to the AI that Kaiba used in his Duel Monsters system with. Didn’t that mean he considered her important enough to give her a tribute in some way?

“Wow… that’s… tragic…”

Kaiba took notice of Kise’s downcast eyes, and how they looked duller than before, his own eyes narrowing at the observation. 

“Well, that Seto might have looked like me, but he was someone else. I can’t speak for what he felt for the girl. I only know what I saw.”

Kise looked back up, intrigued at what Kaiba was implying. He had to admit, his chest felt better at the admission that Kaiba didn’t seem to personally feel anything for the girl himself… and Kise wondered if he should be worried that he was already feeling jealous of a girl that seemed to have lived five-thousand years prior to a different Kaiba.

If his tale was as real as Kaiba said.

“How did you find this all out Kaibacchi?” Kise asked, genuinely curious and feeling himself being pulled deeper into the tale that Kaiba was weaving.

“Visions. Brought on by the magic inside ancient relics used in the past to summon duel monsters. It took me a long time to believe them myself. I was convinced it was all a trick being played on me,” Kaiba admitted, recalling all his denials as he focused on his task to save Mokuba or defeating his rival.

“What changed your mind?” Kise asked.

What _had_ changed his mind? Kaiba knew that a part of him always doubted his own denial, it was simply easier to believe it to be a trick than accept the alternative, that magic was real, and souls were in danger. He always prided himself in his superior intellect after all, and magic was what those who didn’t understand the laws of time and physics used to explain a phenomenon they were too ignorant to understand.

But how could he deny the existence of the Pharaoh? The one constant that beat him again and again? And the blatant difference between him and Yugi? Not to mention…

“Some things were too real to ignore. Like when Mokuba’s soul was stolen and sent to the shadow realm, and my own…” Kaiba admitted, remembering the vacant look in Mokuba’s eyes as he held his body with no soul, and the chill that he had felt when his own soul was trapped in the empty void.

Magic… souls… shadow realm…

All these words that Kaiba pulled together made Kise want to know more. It felt as if there was a much deeper story to be told, especially if the entirety of Mokuba’s story was only part of it all.

Just as Kise was going to ask more, the ringing of Kaiba’s phone broke the silence as Kaiba dug into his pocket and pulled out the sleek device.

“I have to take this,” Kaiba said as he placed the phone against his ear.

“Kaiba speaking.”

Kise tried not to listen in as he returned his attention to the food that had gone slightly cold from his lack of attention while he had listened to Kaiba, but it was hard not to tune in on Kaiba’s voice when he spoke.

“Tonight?”

There was a pause as Kaiba listened to the person speaking.

“No, that’s fine. We can do it tonight. However… I’ll be bringing someone along.”

At this, Kise’s head perked up as he looked at Kaiba’s face, who stared back at him, and Kise pointed to himself as if questioning whether it was him Kaiba was talking about. Kaiba gave a single nod, and turned his attention back to the phone call.

“No, it’s not Mokuba. Don’t worry, he can be trusted.”

* * *

Kaiba was surprised to see Yugi calling him, but luckily, he was quick to clear up the confusion.

The two and his fiancé were supposed to go through with their plan to travel to Atem’s dimension to personally give him the news of their engagement in a week’s time, but according to Yugi’s slightly frantic call, something came up with a job for Tea that would take her away to America for a few months, and she would be leaving in three days’ time with that night being the best chance before the wedding to go through with their plans.

Kaiba didn’t mind the last-minute change, since the machine was ready.

The only factor that Kaiba had to worry about was Kise’s presence, and he was surprised to find himself wanting Kise to come along.

He knew that Kise must still have doubts on what he had told him, but he _wanted_ Kise to believe him. He wanted him to see that Kaiba was being honest with him, something he never cared to do with anyone but his little brother. Maybe it was to make up for the lack of trust that Kaiba had shown in Kise himself.

And he wasn’t lying when he told Yugi that Kise could be trusted. Something that must have come as a shock to Yugi as it had to himself.

“You don’t mind sticking around a bit longer do you? You’re welcome to go home if you’d like.”

Kise blinked at Kaiba’s words, and for his part, was confused as to where Kaiba planned to take him, but curious and giddy that Kaiba wanted him to come, not to mention, his words that he could be trusted.

“Where are we going?” Kise asked, trying to maintain a level head and make educated decisions rather than emotional ones.

“To my space station, I have a promise to fulfill with the King of Games.”

Kise’s eyes widened.

“Space station? The K-king of Games? Yugi Mutou?” Kise asked, embarrassed that his eagerness was showing so easily.

Kaiba smirked.

“The very one. What do you say? Interested in an adventure?”

Kise blinked again. An adventure? What kind of adventure required a space station of Seto Kaiba’s? Along with the King of Games himself?

“Sounds fun!” Kise said with a challenging smirk of his own.

After all, what was life without taking a few risks? When Seto Kaiba himself invites you on an adventure, one does not turn it down.

With that in mind, and a few more texts between Kaiba and Yugi Mutou, it was decided that they would meet at KaibaCorp Space Station launchpad within the hour.

The two finished their food and made their way back to the car, where Kise easily slipped into the passenger seat as Kaiba took the wheel.

“Anything I should know before we embark on this adventure?” Kise asked as Kaiba began to drive.

If he was going into something blind, Kise wanted whatever information he could get.

There was a moment of silence that Kise hoped was Kaiba sorting through important information to share with him, until finally he spoke.

“We’re going to pay my rival a visit, in another dimension.”

For what was the millionth time that day alone, Kise’s eyes widened.

“W-what?”

“Just like I’m the reincarnation of an ancient Egyptian priest, Yugi is the reincarnation of the Pharaoh, Atem. When Yugi solved a magical item, the Millennium puzzle, he released the dormant soul of the pharaoh that was keeping an evil sealed alongside him. When he was awoken, that evil was also released, and after we won against it, the Pharaoh’s soul returned to the afterlife to finally rest. That’s where we’re going.”

Kise absorbed the information, trying to fill in the puzzle of what he knew, and where it could fit with all the information he had learned that day.

“So, the Pharaoh… _he’s_ your rival? And we’re going to the afterlife?” Kise asked, trying to quell the nervousness that was now rising inside him.

“Correct.”

“And how exactly can we travel through dimensions?”

“I created a machine that lets me transverse dimensions with the help of a device called the Quantum Cube. Recently I modified it so that multiple people can go through. This technology is highly classified, and I trust that you will share it with no one. If you do, there will be repercussions.”

Kise could tell from Kaiba’s cold tone that he was serious, and considering what Kaiba spoke about, Kise could understand why. That kind of technology was something Kise wouldn’t think would happen except in science fiction… and to know that Kaiba had accomplished something of the sort? It was amazing and scary all the same.

“You really are incredible Kaibacchi…” Kise told him, sending a sincere smile his way.

Kaiba didn’t respond, but glanced Kise’s way to see the sincerity reflected on his face.

It wasn’t long before they reached their destination, and it seemed the King of Games was just as eager because by the time they arrived, two figures were waiting in front of the building, one of which Kise recognized even from afar as they approached.

Seeing them approach, the two figures turned their attention to them, and Kise smiled as they stopped short of each other.

“Hey Seto! Thanks for doing this so last minute,” Yugi said, and Kise was surprised by the deep voice that came from the lean and shorter man dressed in black pants and a gray long-sleeved shirt. The brown-haired young woman dressed in a simple white dress next to him was unfamiliar to Kise, but she was pretty and looked at them with an intrigued look on her face.

For some reason, he hadn’t expected it. Despite the deep tone, his eyes were kind and his smile sincere as he looked back at them, and his gaze soon turned to Kise.

“Hello, my name Yugi Mutou, and this is my fiancé Tea Gardner,” the King of Games introduced himself and the woman next to him as they both bowed politely.

“Ah! Hello! My name is Kise Ryota, it’s an honor to meet the King of Games and his lovely fiancé,” Kise replied, also bowing respectfully with a large smile on his face and his eyes shining brightly.

Yugi and Tea shared a look and smiled at each other as they took in Kise’s bright and exuberant personality, and both had to admit they didn’t expect someone of the sort to be in the presence of someone as stoic as Kaiba.

“It’s nice to meet you too Kise, you’re a friend of Kaiba’s?” Tea asked, eyeing Kaiba skeptically to which Kaiba glared in defiance.

“I’d like to think so! Kaibacchi hasn’t exactly been the easiest friend to have, but I think he’s getting better!” Kise said with a teasing smile towards Kaiba, and both Yugi and Tea laughed.

“Oh you don’t have to tell us, we went to high school together and I’m surprised Kaiba is able to have friends with the way he can be,” Tea added on, and Kise’s eyes brightened at the knowledge that Kaiba had gone to high school with the King of Games.

Kaiba scoffed.

“If we’re done with introductions, can we move on to what we’re here for?” he said, and the others only smiled at each other, not waiting for a response as he led the way into his building.

Yugi quickly followed suite and caught up to the taller figure, but Tea lingered with Kise as they also followed just slightly behind.

“How long have you known Kaiba for, Kise?” Tea asked, and Kise suddenly felt nervous.

He knew when he was being prodded for information, and he wondered if Tea wanted to know if he was really Kaiba’s friend for Kaiba’s sake or if she was apprehensive about him coming with them. Either way, Kise wasn’t sure how to properly answer in a way that Kaiba would approve of. Then again, if it was true that Kaiba didn’t have friends outside of the King of Games, it made sense that they would question Kise’s sudden appearance, especially when Kaiba was willing to bring him to a different dimension that Kise knew nothing about.

“Only a few months actually. We met through his brother, Mokubacchi. I used to duel, so I asked Mokubacchi if he could set up a duel between us since I’ve always wanted to duel Kaibacchi. I came close to beating him but… Kaibacchi is a tough opponent. The closest I came to a win ended up in a tie.”

Kise tried to keep their meeting vague since he still wanted to keep a low profile when it came to Kaiba and himself. Momoi’s words constantly came to mind, and since he didn’t know anything about Tea and even Yugi Mutou himself, he thought it best to keep it safe for both his sake and Kaiba’s.

Tea for her part, had been surprised to hear that Kaiba would be coming with someone that wasn’t his brother. She had been apprehensive of course, since the thought of just anyone learning about the inter-dimensional machine that Kaiba created to the afterlife didn’t sit well with her. They had all been through too much and owed Atem too much to put his dimension at risk to the wrong people. But Yugi had assured her that Kaiba wouldn’t bring just anyone along, and that he protected his machine more fiercely than anyone.

And seeing the person, Kise Ryota, in the flesh surprised her even more. While more attractive and personable than the average person, Tea had to admit that he seemed pretty normal. A business associate would have made more sense to be accompanying Kaiba, but someone he considered a friend? Someone he vouched for? Tea knew she should be as happy as Yugi was for Kaiba to have made such a stride, but it was also so left-field. Sure, Kaiba had grown and matured throughout the years, but his stoic and aloof personality remained off-putting in her opinion. Who would want to be friends with someone like that? Kise seemed like a nice guy, but what if he wasn’t? Either way, it wasn’t Tea’s place to question Kaiba’s decision considering it was his machine and he was doing them a favor no one else could ever possibly do, but she was determined to keep an eye on Kise for any funny business.

“Well it’s impressive that you got so close to winning! Kaiba is definitely a tough opponent and I think Yugi is the only one that’s managed to beat him fair and square without cheating of any kind,” Tea replied, before a more serious expression replaced her smile.

“But in all seriousness Kise, what did Kaiba tell you about what we’re going to do tonight?” Tea asked, not wanting to tip-toe around what was going to happen soon.

Kise also became more serious, wanting to show Tea that he was taking the matter seriously.

“He told me we’re visiting his rival…” Kise paused, but seeing that Tea was waiting for more, and searching her face, Kise chose to risk it and be honest.

“… in another dimension…” Kise added, pausing again to see if Tea would look at him as if he was crazy.

When instead, her eyes narrowed and grew more serious, Kise knew that Kaiba had been telling him the truth.

“What else did he tell you?” Tea asked.

“Not a lot... Only that he and Yugicchi are reincarnations of an ancient Egyptian priest and Pharaoh, and that the Pharaoh has moved on to the afterlife after defeating an ancient evil that had to do with magic and duel monsters. I don’t know the actual story though, but I hope that Kaibacchi will share it with me soon.”

Tea was surprised that Kaiba had shared so much with Kise, especially when Tea always wondered just how much of what they went through Kaiba believed himself considering his denial of it all. But the way Kise described it was exactly as Tea would have put it.

She smiled, a sincere smile this time, and it shocked Kise.

“I see… It looks like Kaiba really does trust you. You must be very special Kise,” she said, and Kise felt himself blush.

* * *

“Your friend seems nice,” Yugi said as he reached Kaiba’s side, and Kaiba only glanced his way to let him know he heard, and Yugi’s smile widened when Kaiba didn’t deny it.

“I’m glad you took my advice on making more friends,” the shorter man added, and this time Kaiba scoffed.

“It wasn’t planned, I assure you.”

“Which makes it even better. You know what they say, the best things in life are unexpected…”

Unexpected… well that was for certain. Kise’s entire presence was unexpected. Kaiba felt as if he was blind when it came to the boy, unsure of what role he played in his life. All he knew was that he was tolerable, and Kaiba might even call his presence enjoyable and refreshing. Neither of which he would admit to Yugi.

“That’s debatable.”

“Did you tell him? About the Pharaoh and us?” Yugi asked.

“Yeah… I did.”

Kaiba still couldn’t believe that he had shared that with Kise, much less that Kise seemed to have accepted it so easily. And now here they all were, about to remind themselves of a time when their whole lives seemed to have turned upside down with truths that had to be experienced to be believed.

“Well… I’m happy to know you have someone to confide in. Don’t mess it up.”

Kaiba glanced at Yugi, who wore a content smile on his face. Only Yugi would so easily accept his sharing of their past with someone that hadn’t undergone the experience and seem _happy_ about it. Kaiba had come in prepared to defend his decision to bring Kise along, but instead Yugi seemed encouraging of the situation.

Either way, both Kise and Kaiba were relieved when they reached the elevator that would take them to the space station, and their attention was diverted to the mechanical voice of Kaiba’s computer letting them know what to expect from the long ride up and gravitational changes that would occur for a brief moment.

It was only then that it really hit Kise that they were really going into outer space, even if it was just outside earth’s surface, and he began to get nervous. He spared the others a glance, and while Kaiba remained calm and composed, he saw that Yugi and Tea also looked nervous, which meant this must have also been their first time heading to their destination, but Kise didn’t want to ask in the off-chance that he actually had something to worry about. It was too late to turn back now.

While it was a longer ride than a typical elevator trip, it was still relatively fast considering they were going to a space station, and Kise had to laugh when they momentarily floated in zero-gravity until the elevator reached the station and gravity was regulated. Only Kaiba was able to land on his feet and the rest of them weren’t able to quite catch themselves as they fell to the ground.

“Jeez Kaibacchi… a warning or tip on the landing would have been nice,” Kise pouted as he fell on one knee, a better feat than Yugi and Tea could say for themselves as they fell on each other.

“Yeah… I gotta agree with Kise on that one…” Tea added with a groan of annoyance but smiled when Yugi helped her up.

Kaiba didn’t answer, and simply led the way once the doors opened to reveal the inside of the station Kaiba could claim as his own.

It was what most of them expected of a space facility, metallic and with machines everywhere. The lights had turned on as soon as Kaiba stepped inside, but what caught their attention the most was the large windows that let them see the sight that was their planet with its green lands, blue seas, and white clouds with the sun and star-littered space just behind it.

“Wow…”

Was what they were all thinking and Yugi voiced as they took in the sight with wide eyes.

Kaiba, to his credit, let them take in the sight for a few moments, but felt particularly drawn to Kise’s reaction just beside him. His face looked every bit as awed as when he first saw his dueling technology, and his golden orbs glittered with child-like wonder.

Kaiba had to force himself to look away and walk towards his destination, and it was only a moment after that everyone realized their host was moving again and followed suit.

Kaiba led them to another door, which required a code, his hand print, voice recognition, and iris scanner.

Seeing all the security measures to unlocking the door, everyone could tell that what was behind it was important to Kaiba, and more and more Kise believed what Kaiba had told him, and the feeling of intruding on a private matter also increased.

After all, these were all people that saved the world from darkness given what Kaiba had shared with him, and the Pharaoh they were going to see was important to them, Kaiba included. Still, he was already there, and Kise wasn’t one to back down.

The door in front of Kaiba opened with a soft hiss, and Kise could have sworn he heard a collective sharp intake of breath from Yugi and Tea.

As Kaiba crossed the threshold to the room, the rest hesitated for only a moment before following after him.

Kise wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but he was surprised to find that the room was mostly empty, aside from a large array of more consoles around one wall. There was no grand machine that looked like an inter-dimensional transporter that he could only picture from sci-fi shows and movie.

Then again, this was reality.

Kaiba then walked over to a computer, and proceeded to type on the touch-sensitive console while the rest of the group shared confused glances as they waited for the next step, and Kise took in the way Tea reached to grab Yugi’s hand with a small smile.

Kaiba paused in his typing just as a wall opened up along one of the walls, which revealed what looked similar to Kaiba’s duel discs hanging on several hooks.

“I won’t bore you with the specifics, not that you would understand it anyway, but there are a few things to remember before we travel through dimensions,” Kaiba finally spoke, and everyone stood straighter at attention, knowing it was important to remember what Kaiba was about to tell them.

“Firstly, this machine was originally designed for one person only and successfully transported me various times, but only recently did I modify it to transport multiple people. What I mean by that, is that this isn’t tested, and you choose to travel at your own risk. Is that understood?”

Kaiba crossed his arms as he met everyone’s gaze, taking in the look of fear and nervousness in each set of eyes, pausing to give them time to consider his words and change their minds if they wanted to.

He didn’t expect Yugi to change his mind, but perhaps his fiancé and Kise might take the out.

Yugi turned to Tea, grabbing her by the shoulders and looking her in the eyes with a serious expression.

“You don’t have to go. It could be dangerous… and I can deliver the message myself…” Yugi tried to urge, and Kaiba knew it was because he was worried for her safety.

Tea however, was quick to rebuke him.

“No way! And let you go by yourself! Fat chance!” she cried out with a glare as she grabbed onto his arms.

“Whatever happens to you, happens to me… that’s why we’re getting married isn’t it? To go through life together?” her voice became softer at the latter part, and both their eyes softened as they smiled at each other.

“Besides… Atem is my friend too. I want to see him as much as you do…” she confided in him, and Yugi nodded with a determined look on his face.

“Right!”

Kaiba turned his gaze to Kise.

“What about you? This is your chance to back out. You can wait for us here.”

Kise felt his heart beat faster.

He would be lying if he said Kaiba’s warning didn’t scare him… something untested… when it came to breaking the laws of physics as Kise understood them? It was as if every cell in his body was screaming at him that this was a terrible idea, and he should not go and stay safe in his own dimension.

But as he looked back at Kaiba’s blue eyes, it was as if his heart did a summersault for a completely different reason. Because here was Kaiba… trusting him with something so significant and beyond what he could comprehend.

How could he not take a leap of faith too?

So Kise smiled and shook his head.

“If anyone can build a machine to take multiple people to a different dimension… it’s you. I want to see it.”

Kise held Kaiba’s gaze, not backing down and showing the older man that Kise was serious, until finally Kaiba nodded.

“Very well.”

He then walked over to the wall holding the duel disc looking machinery and began to put them on as a regular duel disc would with the added attachments.

“You’ll each have to wear these. These modified duel discs will be what will ground your soul to my machine and make it possible for us to return to our dimension. Do not remove them for any reason,” Kaiba spoke the last part fiercely, narrowing his eyes just as the lights on the duel disc turned on to signify its activation.

Everyone nodded and Kaiba reached for another of the duel disc, handing it to Yugi who began to help Tea put it on.

Kise stepped forward to grab his own, and within moments they were all geared up, with Kaiba having checked that they were all properly up and running.

“Lastly, there is a time limit to how long we can remain in the other dimension. Since we’re not meant to be there, the longer we’re there the greater the chance that our souls will break down and disappear forever. So, let’s make it a short and sweet visit if you want to see your wedding day.”

Once more Tea and Yugi shared a concerned glance, before they nodded in understanding.

“Good. Then let’s go.”

Kaiba then approached what looked like another sealed door, and pressed his palm to a pad next to it, which caused it to open and reveal a hatch on the other side.

It took Kise a moment to realize there was a sort of shuttle inside.

“This will be our mode of transport,” Kaiba said, approaching the shuttle and pressing something on his duel disc that caused the shuttle to open a door that let down some stairs.

Again, Kaiba led the way, and the other followed up the shuttle stairs to the inside where the shuttle had just enough space for what looked like six chairs, and as soon as they were inside Kaiba closed the doors behind them.

“Choose a seat and strap in.”

Kaiba sat at the front seat, where a large panel was in front of him, and once more began to type away, until lights and a whirring of sounds came alive.

While he brought the systems online, everyone else strapped in, which was thankfully straight forward and uncomplicated except there were two different buckles.

By this point, it truly felt as the point of no return, and none seemed eager to speak as Kaiba continued to type away.

_“All systems online. Destination set.”_

This time, it was the computerized voice that spoke, and Kise felt a chill travel down his spine as a timer appeared in front of them and began to count down.

_“Take off sequence initiated… time of deployment in three minutes…”_

Kise’s heart once more began to raise, and only beat harder once a hissing noise began and everyone felt the shuttle shake and begin to rotate so that it faced a different direction from which it had been, and now faced another set of larger doors from which they had all entered.

As some sirens began to sound and flash, the doors opened to reveal a set of tracks that led down a dark tunnel that slowly became illuminated with lights and the countdown continued.

“Anything else you want to warn us about Kaiba?” Yugi asked, his hand holding onto Tea’s from beside him.

There was a moment of silence, and Kise watched intently as Kaiba’s deft fingers continued to move across the panel in front of him.

“Yeah… try not to throw up.”

There were only thirty seconds on the clock when Kaiba’s fingers finally stopped and his arms settled on armrests on either side of him, and when he turned to glance in Kise’s direction, Kise felt himself relax as he smiled and met his gaze, nodding to let him know he was fine, and hoping his face didn’t give anything away.

Kaiba however, could see the fear on all their faces from how pale they looked, how noticeably tense they sat in their chairs, but the look in their eyes shone with resolve.

Yugi and Tea, he could understand. Their bond with the Pharaoh had always been strong, and those fools had always been quick to put their lives in danger for each other.

But Kise… there was nothing in this for him. He had no reason to want to travel to another dimension where nothing he knew awaited him, one which Kaiba had warned him of the danger of what they were about to do, one that he knew nothing about until an hour ago.

Yet there he was… smiling at Kaiba as if _he_ was the one to be reassured.

And before Kaiba could begin to try to decipher what that thought made him feel, the mechanized voice of his station computer once more spoke up.

_“Takeoff imminent in 10… 9… 8…”_

Kaiba faced forward as the final countdown begun, confident that all calculations had been correct, and while he had traveled to the Egyptian afterlife on multiple occasions, and knew what to expect, he wondered if anything would be different now that multiple people would be taking the trip.

He wondered if the Pharaoh knew that they were coming, since although he had never told Kaiba that he had expected him, he had never seemed surprised, and Kaiba had never cared to ask if the Pharaoh was aware of what went on in their world.

_“6… 5…”_

Kise, Yugi, and Tea braced themselves, and Kise gripped the armrests tightly while Yugi and Tea’s grip on each other’s hand tightened.

_“3…2…1…”_

And they were off.

Tea and Yugi cried out as the shuttle took off faster than they expected, and all felt the pressure of the craft accelerating at a speed only a spacecraft could be capable of. After all, Kaiba knew the speed they needed to reach in order to break through the barrier that kept dimensions apart was a large one, and only possible thanks to the cube that harnessed the required energy.

They continued to accelerate to the point that even if they had wanted to, they couldn’t make out the space and stars around them, until their bodies felt weightless and a blinding light engulfed them.

It felt as if hours had passed in seconds in a kind of suspended state of time and space, where thoughts were impossible to formulate and understand as more than abstract feelings…

But then it hit them.

It was as if they had been spun and wrung, and shaken, and true to what Kaiba had warned, they all felt sick to their stomachs and had to resist the urge to empty its content as everything around them seemed to spin on its axis.

Only when the nausea settled were they able to tell that they were no longer flying through space, and instead, the shuttle was still, and not even any noise could be heard from inside it.

All except for Kaiba groaned as they tried to grasp their bearings and once more got used to the feeling of their limbs on their bodies.

“Are we… alive?” Tea was the first to speak as she grasped her head, looking over to where Yugi was supposed to be and exhaling with relief to see that he was indeed there.

“It seems like it…” Yugi replied, also looking over and smiling at her.

Kaiba looked over where Kise had been sitting, surprised to also feel relief that he had survived the trip although the grimace on his face showed that it had been as unpleasant for him as each trip had ever been.

“Kaibacchi… you really have to work on the landing of this thing… I wanna puke…” Kise commented with a groan as a hand traveled to cover his mouth.

“I’ll get right on that… now let’s get out of here before you really do throw up,” Kaiba replied, already unbuckling his belt and getting up from his seat.

He rolled his eyes when he saw that Kise was struggling with his own and walked over and undid the straps in a few fluid motions before helping up the nauseous boy.

Yugi and Tea might have looked at Kaiba’s actions with surprise were they not too busy trying to undo their own belts and fighting down the nausea, and with another press of buttons on his duel disc the door to the shuttle opened to reveal what was beyond.

Light and heat streamed in, and through the now receding nausea they were able to take in the sight beyond as they quickly exited the shuttle, eager for fresh air.

Sky. Sun. Sand.

They were in a desert.

And just beyond the horizon… walls that seemed to form an ancient city.

It was the city of the Pharaoh.

It was the home of Atem.


	24. Recollections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A trip to the Afterlife.  
A reunion with Atem.  
An encounter no one expected.  
And the revelation of a lifetime.

It was all true.

They were in another dimension…

Kise stared ahead wide-eyed at the expanse of sand, as his gaze traveled to the walls of a city just beyond and reflected in the sky above.

There could truly be no other explanation for how they had gone from space to a desert.

And yet… it didn’t exactly feel real.

As Kise leaned down to touch the sand, he couldn’t quite feel it as he scooped it with his hand and let the grains fall through his fingers… it felt more like water than what sand was supposed to be like.

As he looked up to the sun, the heat that he should have felt wasn’t scorching as the sun would be in a desert, but more like a barely there caress of warmth.

“So, this is… the afterlife…” Yugi’s voice was tinged with awe as he looked ahead towards the city.

“It is… now let’s get moving. There’s no time to waste.”

Kaiba once more took the lead, hand in his pocket as he walked forward, and Kise was quick to reach his side.

“This is incredible Kaibacchi…” Kise said as he glanced at Kaiba.

“Hn.”

“How many times have you come here?” Kise asked, a million questions coursing through his head now that there was no doubt in his mind the truth of Kaiba’s story.

“A few.”

Kise smiled at Kaiba’s vagueness. It was back to that it seemed. Good thing Kise had held onto almost everything Kaiba had told him and remembered what Kaiba had said to him back at the restaurant when they had played his game of Truth or Pass, when Kaiba had told him about his rival.

Back then, Kise had no idea who his rival had been, but could tell that he was important to Kaiba.

Now he knew, and he could put together a few more puzzle pieces.

“You came here to try and defeat him, didn’t you?” Kise asked, confident in his assertion.

Kaiba’s eyes narrowed, but he refused to answer, and it was enough to tell Kise how right he was.

Kaiba created a machine to travel dimensions… so he could defeat his rival… but had yet to do so.

It was a hard truth to swallow, a truth that Kise knew all too well, and the reason he didn’t push Kaiba for an answer or remind him that he was just short of his goal.

This Pharaoh must truly be great… Then again… he was a Pharaoh after all, a King. And someone who saved the world. Yet it was the fact that he had pushed Kaiba to these lengths that impressed Kise the most. Saving the world seemed like a much easier feat.

Yugi and Tea were surprisingly silent considering they were going to see their friend… and previous life in Yugi’s book, and Kise wondered if they were nervous. After all, from how they had spoken of the Pharaoh, it was clear that he was important to them both, and Kise would have thought them more excited to see an old friend.

Kise wished he could lighten the mood, but he didn’t know Yugi and Tea enough, and still felt like too much of an intruder to speak up, and chose to leave them to their own devices instead.

He was only an observer here, and although he was still confused as to why Kaiba had chosen to bring him along, it was something to ask after everything was done and they were back in their own dimension.

The city had seemed far off into the distance, but it wasn’t long before it was looming just before them, grand and larger than Kise had thought it would be as they approached its gates.

As they got closer however, Kise began to feel a slight pressure in the back of his head, almost like a headache getting worse as they approached.

Kise wondered if that was normal when it came to ancient cities in the afterlife… but since it wasn’t too bothersome, chose to not ask aloud as they walked towards the city.

The gates to enter were just ahead, a break in the surrounding walls with tall stone columns on each side, and in front of the gates, the figures of two guards came into view.

Seeing the way they were dressed and holding spears, there was no question that this was ancient Egypt, with the males wearing white wrap around cloths around their waist and white shawls covering their heads with a large golden necklace around their necks.

The walls around them seemed bright gold and unblemished by time, covered in Egyptian hieroglyphics that Kise didn’t even bother to try and comprehend.

The guards watched their approaching figures with wary eyes, but relaxed when they came into focus, as their gazes instead reflected admiration and respect with a hint of surprise as they knelt on one knee and looked at the ground when they stopped short of them.

“Welcome honored guests, the Pharaoh awaits you.”

Kaiba walked past the guards without acknowledging them, while Yugi looked apologetic and thanked the guards as he also walked past them and into the city.

To their delight, the city was teeming with people and activity.

Markets lined the streets, with people trading wares and food, and kids running around laughing and playing, and to their surprise, when they caught sight of them, they too bowed in reverence, as if they recognized that Yugi was the reincarnation of their Pharaoh and deserved the same respect.

It seemed that Kaiba was truly familiar with the area, since he seemed to know exactly where they were going and never once faltered from his path, bypassing everything around them.

Kise tried to take in as much as he could, knowing that they were seeing something that archaeologists could only dream of, seeing Egypt in its prime, and watching the everyday life of the people within this beautiful city that exuded an air of peace as they went on with their daily tasks in an eternal world apart from their own.

He wished he could go to the booths and stands manned by the people, to see the kind of wares and clothing that they had.

But that wasn’t what they were here for, sightseeing a past life, and the afterlife that housed the souls of those who had passed millennia prior.

They were here to see the Pharaoh.

And it was hard to miss the large temple that loomed ahead, and although it wasn’t shaped like the palaces Kise was used to seeing in pictures and TV, it was obvious that the large and elegant building ahead was a temple that could house none other than royalty, with grand statues and columns adorning its length, and a wide large gate as its entrance.

It shone brighter than anything else, and the sheer number of guards standing at attention outside spoke of the importance of what or who lay inside.

As they approached, all eyes were on them, but no guard made a move to stop them, and instead bowed their heads as they passed.

Kise felt increasingly nervous, and the pressure in the back of his head also increased the closer they got to the gates that now stood before them, but he tried to ignore it as they finally walked through the looming gates.

They paused when they first crossed the gates, each taking in the long pathway lined with guards that led to the shadowed end, where they could all make out what could only be called a throne, and sitting on that throne, was the clothed figure of a man with the same outline as that of Yugi, whose face was obscured by the shadow of a column.

This time, Kaiba wasn’t the first to step forward and close the distance between them and the Pharaoh that sat at the throne. Kise stood back with him, watching as Yugi clenched his fists at his sides as he stared ahead, and Kise wondered what kind of expression he wore on his face.

It was Tea that nudged Yugi forwards, smiling reassuringly and whispering something that Kise couldn’t hear, but with a shuddering breath, Yugi finally took the first step forward… and another after that… and began to close the distance between him and the Pharaoh, Tea following closely behind.

When Kaiba didn’t move to follow them, Kise wondered if he was going to stay back, and give Yugi the chance to talk to the Pharaoh on his own, but only a moment longer, Kaiba also stepped forward, but despite his longer strides, Kise could see that Kaiba made sure to walk slower than usual and leave a considerable distance between them.

With a small smile, Kise followed behind Kaiba.

* * *

It had been eight years since the last time Yugi Mutou had gotten a glance of the real Atem, when he saved the world for the last time and took away the millennium puzzle that would ensure he was never again summoned into their world and he could rest.

Since then, he had seen him only in his mind’s eye, and many more times than he could count in his dreams.

It was impossible to forget someone who had shared a space with his very soul for so long, and whose friendship Yugi would treasure beyond his lifetime.

He didn’t even know why he was so nervous, why his legs suddenly felt like lead as he looked ahead to the throne where Atem was sitting on.

Shouldn’t he have been happy?

To finally be in the same room as the man he had missed all this time?

Shouldn’t he be filled with joy that this was even possible? To see the one person he never thought he would again?

And yet… for eight years… despite knowing that Kaiba had achieved the impossible… Yugi had never asked to visit Atem until then.

He felt guilty, for waiting so long to take the leap that would let him see Atem again.

Because wasn’t that what their final duel had been about? To prove that Yugi was ready to stand on his own?

And despite that… Yugi still never felt good enough… not when he thought back to all that Atem was, all that he had sacrificed and all that he had helped Yugi grow.

“It’s okay Yugi…” Tea whispered to him, placing a gentle hand behind his back, “Atem could never be anything but happy to see you…”

And wasn’t that why he had always known Tea was the girl he wanted to spend the rest of his life with? Because she knew him inside and out, and loved all of him, there to soothe every insecurity and burden that he ever bore?

So Yugi took in a deep breath… and stepped forward.

At the very least, Atem deserved nothing less than his courage, and Yugi would make sure he got it.

As he walked forward, every step felt easier than the last, and as he got closer, the heaviness that he had felt in his chest got lighter, until a smile formed on Yugi’s lips, and the joy that he had thought was missing suddenly filled him in a sudden burst of warmth that quickly spread throughout the rest of his body.

And as if sensing his happiness, Atem stood from his throne, and took a step forward, so that the shadow of the stone column no longer covered his face, and in its absence, there adorned a soft smile on his sun-lit face.

It was Yugi’s own face, and yet it wasn’t. Because Atem’s face bore a heaviness that Yugi’s never would, a heaviness that could only come with the weight of the world on his young shoulders, and a life that he was denied while he was alive. Because his life had been nothing but toil and sacrifice, something that no matter what accomplishments Yugi attained in his life, would pale in comparison.

And perhaps that was okay.

Because even though they looked the same, they lived in different times, and led different lives.

And as Tea had told him many times over, it wasn’t fair to compare their lives and accomplishments.

Because Yugi was lucky to have known peace, and the absence of war and the loss of loved ones, something Atem could not say the same for himself.

All that was certain… was that the time they spent together was real, and that perhaps Atem had gained just as much from Yugi as Yugi had from him. Their bond was sacred, and Yugi wouldn’t change a thing about it.

And this… this moment… was nothing short of a gift.

Before he knew it, Yugi was running, quickly closing the remainder of the distance between them, and did what he had wanted to do that day eight years ago but couldn’t, and circled his arms around Atem, embracing him in the way he had always wanted to but had never had the guts to do so.

Until then.

And it felt as warm and fulfilling as Yugi hoped, even more so when Atem’s own arms wrapped around him and pulled him closer.

“I’ve missed you so much…” Yugi whispered, head resting atop Atem’s shoulder.

“I’ve missed you as well… old friend…” Atem replied, his hold tightening around Yugi.

* * *

Kise watched the interaction between the two men with a smile on his face.

Even after learning that Yugi was the reincarnation of the Pharaoh, he hadn’t expected them to look like the same person, but even so Kise could feel that their presence was different, and he could see how much they cared about each other.

It was an odd sight, but heartwarming, nonetheless.

The two men separated and Yugi beamed a smile full of happiness, and the Pharaoh smiled back softly before turning his attention to the rest of the group.

“Welcome friends…” he said, gaze passing over each of them, before it paused on the unfamiliar figure of the blonde next to Kaiba with interest.

He then approached Tea, who seemed to be tearing up at the sight of him.

“Atem!” she cried softly, and similarly to Yugi, also moved to hug him, causing the Pharaoh to smile gently as he returned the hug.

“Tea…” he said, “It’s nice to see you again.”

After a short moment, the two separated, and Atem’s gaze turned to Kaiba who stood tall with his arms crossed in front of him and a guarded look on his face.

“Kaiba…” Atem addressed with a playful smile on his face, “It’s been a while.”

That smile told Kise that despite Kaiba’s confusing attitude towards the Pharaoh, Atem seemed to like Kaiba all the same, since the warmth in his eyes mirrored the same warmth that he had looked at Yugi and Tea with.

“So it has,” Kaiba replied simply.

Then Atem’s gaze settled on Kise’s figure next to Kaiba, and Kise suddenly felt nervous.

He was usually good with people, but to be in the presence of an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh, who had saved the world… that was a new kind of pressure. Not to mention that he was the outsider here.

“And who might you be, young man?” the Pharaoh asked gently, an encouraging smile on his face.

Kise felt his breath hitch, unsure of how to greet the Pharaoh.

Mind blanking, Kise found himself reaching out a hand, and resisted the urge to wince when he realized what he was doing.

A handshake for a Pharaoh?!

The smile on Atem’s face only widened at the gesture however, as he also reached out for Kise’s hand and grasped it with his own.

“My name is Kise Ryota,” Kise said, trying to smile through his embarrassment.

“Kise Ryota… it’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Atem, Pharaoh of this time,” the Pharaoh introduced himself, and Kise found himself admiring the riveting tone of his voice.

“Are you a friend of Yugi’s?” he added as they let go of each other’s hands.

Kise hesitated, glancing in Kaiba’s direction.

“Ah… I actually just met Yugicchi… I’m a friend of Kaibacchi’s actually…” Kise replied, and watched as Atem raised an eyebrow and glanced at Kaiba, who only seemed to narrow his eyes at the attention.

“Is that so? I didn’t think Kaiba had friends,” Atem teased with a smirk, and Kaiba huffed in indignation but didn’t defend against the statement. After all, even Kise knew it to be the truth.

“Well, I’m happy Kaiba has someone to look after him,” Atem added, a softer smile on his face as he looked at Kise, who couldn’t help but blush under his gaze, unsure why but nodded and smiled nonetheless.

“Someone has to do it, and I’m more than happy to!” Kise replied, glancing over at Kaiba warmly who caught his gaze for a moment that felt longer than it was, before looking away to the opposite side of the room.

For some reason, the action warmed Kise and made him smile wider, perhaps because he had expected Kaiba to refute him by telling him he didn’t need anyone to watch over him, but he didn’t.

“As happy as I am to see you… I’m sure there’s a reason why you’ve come all this way. Let’s adjourn to a sitting room, where you can make yourselves comfortable. I know you can't stay long,” Atem said motioning to everyone.

“Please, follow me,” Atem said, and with a swish of his cape, he turned and walked away, with the other in tow.

Kise was just about to follow, when Kaiba stopped him by grabbing on to his arm.

“You all go ahead, we won’t be far,” Kaiba spoke, and the others turned to look at him with a confused look on their face.

“Are you sure?” Yugi asked.

“Yes, I’ll skip the sappy reunion, thank you,” Kaiba replied, and Kise blinked up at him as the brunette pulled him away in the opposite direction of where the others were going, trying not to think about how that simple action made his heart beat just a bit faster.

Kise hoped Kaiba wouldn’t let go, but just a moment later Kaiba let his arm go and Kise resisted the urge to pout as disappointment coursed through his system.

“You don’t want to catch up with them?” Kise asked curiously as he glanced at Kaiba from beside him.

Kaiba closed his eyes as he put his hands in his pockets.

“No… we’re only here so Yugi can tell him the news of his engagement, and whatever other mushy friendship things Yugi plans on saying,” Kaiba replied.

His answer caused Kise to snicker, a hand moving to his mouth to cover the unexpected action.

“You’re so cold Kaibacchi, but it’s still cute how you still did this for Yugicchi. I’m sure he really appreciates it… he looked so happy to see the Pharaoh! They seriously look like mirror images of each other too,” Kise said as he looked around the large temple structure in appreciation.

This was much better than any museum he had ever been to, not that there had been many that consisted of Egyptian exhibits.

“They are completely different, trust me.”

Kise didn’t reply, and as he followed Kaiba down the hallway, they came to the back of the building, and Kise whistled when he saw the plants and what looked like a large pool filled with clear water and trees around it. It was the very picture of an oasis in a desert.

“Now this is how to live in a desert,” Kise admired as he took in the sight.

There was a stone balcony that separated them from the actual oasis, and Kise leaned against it as he took in the sight.

As his gaze raked over the water and plants, the pressure in the back of his head that he had momentarily been distracted from suddenly increased, and this time, Kise flinched from the pain and grasped at his head with a groan.

The pain was sharp, and as Kise closed his eyes, he saw a bright light, until that light turned into an image, of the same oasis he was looking at, but this time, he was there too, only dressed in something different, red harem pants, a cropped blue vest, and an odd white head shawl that looked almost Arabian in nature.

The man was currently standing where Kise was, also taking in the view, until a figure coming next to him caught his attention, and Kise realized he recognized that figure too.

It was Kaiba, but also wearing something different, a blue and white robe that reached to his ankles with gold shoulder pads, belt and forearm bands, necklace, and a blue tall headdress with golden accents that looked Egyptian on all accounts.

Kise could see their lips moving as they talked, but he couldn’t hear what they were saying.

“Hey… are you okay?”

The image faded as a familiar voice broke through, and Kise felt someone’s hands on his arms, and Kise opened his eyes to see Kaiba looking at him with narrowed eyes, relief flashing across the blue irises when Kise looked back at him.

“What happened?” Kaiba asked.

Kise tried to get ahold of his bearings again, and while his head still throbbed, Kise was more confused than anything.

“I… I don’t know, my head just suddenly started hurting… and…I…” Kise stopped himself, not sure how to convey the image he had just seen.

It had been Kaiba and him… but not… wearing ancient clothing. Had that been Kaiba’s past self that he had told him about?

But… why had _he_ been there? Dressed in clothing Kise had never even seen before? Was it just this dimension playing tricks on him? Was it a side effect to their traveling here?

Kise knew he should tell Kaiba, the most experienced of them when it came to both traveling to another dimension and knowing about visions.

Just as he was about tell him however, a now familiar figure caught his eye at the corner of his eye, and Kise’s eyes widened when he saw the very image he had just seen right in front of him, the man that looked just like Seto Kaiba but in Egyptian wear.

The man seemed to just be walking by, but stopped when he caught sight of them.

Kise watched in rapt attention as the man’s previously frowning gaze turned to surprise, eyes widening as he also took them in.

_“Impossible…”_

Although he was too far away to hear, Kise could see from the way his lips moved that it was what he said to himself, and before he knew it, the man that looked just like Kaiba was walking towards them at a brisk pace.

Kaiba had also turned to see what Kise had been looking at, and frowned at the sight of his past self. Kise had thought that he would approach Kaiba, but instead, the Egyptian Kaiba completely ignored Kaiba’s presence, and if Kise had been shocked before, he was even more surprised when the man that looked just like Kaiba stopped short of Kise and wrapped his arms around him in a crushing hug.

Kise gasped in a breath and tensed as one of the man’s hands settled at the nape of his neck and whose fingers pressed gently against the back of his head, pulling him even closer against him.

“I thought I would never see you again…” Kise blinked at the words said in what sounded very much like Kaiba’s voice but came from the other man.

At a loss for words, and his heart racing in his chest, Kise didn’t know what to say or do as he turned his gaze to look at _his_ Kaiba for help, but who looked on with narrowed eyes.

“I… I’m sorry…” Kise managed, pulling away slightly to try and look at the other Kaiba, “How do you know me?”

Thankfully, this Kaiba seemed to get the hint and let go of Kise, looking back at him with an expression that Kise couldn’t quite place…

“You… do not recognize me?” he asked, a tinge of disappointment in his voice that Kise couldn’t quite believe when the man in front of him sounded exactly like Kaiba.

“I…” again, Kise wasn’t quite sure how to answer, since he only knew the man in front of him as the exact copy of Kaiba, and nothing more besides the man he had just seen in what he could only call a vision.

“This man is from my time, not yours.”

This time, it was the Kaiba that Kise recognized that answered, his voice cold as the other Kaiba turned to glance at his doppleganger, and the two shared a tense stare for a moment before the other Kaiba turned back to Kise, who tensed under the intense scrutiny as his eyes looked him over.

“I see… so you managed to pass on after all…good…” his voice was low, as if he was talking to himself more than them, and Kise watched as a sad and resigned smile formed on his lips.

He then reached out a hand, as if offering it to Kise, and although confused, Kise reached out his own almost on instinct, and felt a shiver when the other Kaiba’s hand instantly grabbed ahold of his fingers. His hold was gentle as he brought the back of his hand to his lips, causing Kise to immediately flush red.

“Forgive my rudeness, I am High Priest Seto of this time, I should not have assumed you were someone I knew but… you happen to look just like him…” he said, his deep blue eyes meeting his own in a way that made Kise’s heart skip a beat.

The throbbing in Kise’s head increased at the sight.

“My name is Kise Ryota…” he replied, just the slightest bit breathless from the shock of it all as he watched Priest Seto’s hold linger on his hand.

“Ryota…” Kise once more felt his breath hitch at hearing Kaiba’s voice say his name so familiarly, but he had to remember that this was a different Kaiba, and not the one he knew from his own dimension who for so long didn’t even acknowledge him by his surname.

“Who did you think I was?” Kise asked, genuinely curious about what this Priest Seto’s answer would be.

Perhaps there was more to his vision than Kise had thought…

“He was… someone very important to me… a long time ago. I thought he would come here, when it was his time… but perhaps I was wrong…”

The sadness returned to Priest Seto’s eyes, and Kise felt his heart clench at the sight.

Kise wanted to say something, to try and soothe him somehow, but he was at a loss for words.

“Although you are not him… I am happy to see that he moved on,” Priest Seto then turned his gaze back to Kaiba.

“Perhaps you will protect him better than I did,” he said, causing Kaiba to narrow his eyes.

“If you will excuse me.”

Kaiba and Kise watched as Priest Seto walked away from them, and Kise felt a moment of trepidation at the sight.

There were still so many questions he had, so much he didn’t understand but felt this version of Kaiba had the answers too.

Kise took a step forward towards Priest Seto, ready to call out for the man to wait so he could ask his questions, but just as his foot touched the ground, a sharp pain coursed through his entire body, causing Kise to gasp and grasp his head again with a groan as he closed his eyes.

Why did his head feel like it was going to split open?

“Are you alright?”

Through the pain, Kise felt Kaiba’s hand grip his arm and turn him towards him, and with some effort, Kise tried to breathe steadily through the pressure in is head, until he was able to open his eyes and take in the Kaiba in front of him.

His usual frown adorned his features, and his blue eyes looked like stormy skies as he looked back at him, and yet the sight was comforting to Kise, and soon the pain slowly vanished as Kise focused on the man in front of him.

“I’m fine…” Kise replied, not sure if he even believed himself but needing to reassure both of them.

Kaiba nodded and glanced in the direction his past self had gone. He knew that he wielded some magic and wondered if he had done something to Kise after all those theatrics. He hadn’t seen him wield the Millennium Rod however, and what if this was a side-effect of their coming to this dimension?

Regardless, Kaiba wasn’t sure what to think of what had just happened, or why it seemed that his past self mistook Kise for someone else. And since Kaiba wasn’t an idiot, it raised all kinds of flags in his mind.

“We shouldn’t stay much longer if this is a result of your traveling here. Let’s find Yugi and go back.”

Kise’s eyes widened at Kaiba’s suggesting.

“What, no!” he replied, “We just got here… and I’m sure Yugicchi still has a lot to talk to the Pharaoh about… I’m fine… really…”

Kise didn’t want to be the reason they cut their trip short. He was sure Yugi had a good reason for wanting to come here, even if no one had told him the specifics. He could tell from the way Yugi had greeted the Pharaoh that it had been a long time since they had seen each other, and Kise didn’t want to interrupt their reunion.

Whatever was happening, he knew he could deal it with.

Kaiba for his part, didn’t look convinced as he set his hard gaze on Kise.

“I saw something…” Kise blurted out, knowing he had to distract Kaiba and tell him what had just happened after the vision he had.

“It felt like… a memory… but it wasn’t something I had ever seen before.”

Kaiba frowned at Kise’s words.

“Before he came along… I saw him… Priest Seto… wearing the same thing…” Kise paused, trying to think of how to say the next part.

“He was here… with someone that looked just like me…but wearing clothes I’ve never seen before, something just as ancient…”

Kise frowned, a sudden thought taking root in his mind.

“Do you think I had a past life here too?”

Kaiba frowned.

Kise having a past life?

While Kaiba knew that anything was possible, the thought still sounded ridiculous in his mind.

What were the chances that the boy he had only recently met also had a past life at the same time as his past self sounded far too coincidental, not to mention, he had never seen anyone that looked like Kise in any of the memories he had seen before.

Then again, he knew that what he had seen had been only a short specific time, it could be that another version of Kise truly had existed at a different point in his past self’s life.

“Kaibacchi… we have to find Priest Seto, we have to ask him more…”

Kaiba frowned at Kise’s suggestion, not liking the thought of it.

He was still trying to ignore why the interaction with Kise and his past self hadn’t sat well with him, and why he had felt a sense of protectiveness when the so called priest had so brazenly hugged and touched Kise as if the two were so familiar… going as far as calling him by his given name, something that Kaiba had yet even thought to do.

He also hadn’t liked the way Kise had reacted to him, flustered in a way that had made Kaiba want to come between the two but that his pride would not allow.

It had felt so intrusive, as if someone had touched what was _his_, and Kaiba had never been good at sharing.

Which was ridiculous, because although he had accepted Kise as someone to call a friend, he should not feel protective over him.

Kise could do as he liked, he wasn’t an object to be possessed, and yet the feelings felt the same.

It didn’t sit well with Kaiba at all.

“Why do you care to know?” Kaiba asked, once again pushing the unfamiliar thoughts to the back of his head as he regarded Kise with questioning eyes.

Kise frowned.

“Didn’t you want to learn about your past life when you found out about it?” Kise replied, confusion laced in his voice.

Kaiba huffed.

“Of course not. The past doesn’t matter. The only reason I know what I do is because I was forced to see it and participate in all those games.”

And it was true. Kaiba could care less about his past self, it didn’t change anything about his present, and his own goals and ambitions. So what if he had been some kind of magic priest? It wasn’t as if he could use any of that in his current endeavors. Technology was his own magic.

Kise sighed.

How typical of Kaiba.

“Well, I happen to think the past does matter. And its not everyday you get to find out who you were in a past life and what you did… maybe it’s nothing… but…” Kise paused, wondering if he should voice the thoughts going through his head, and decided that given how open and truthful Kaiba had been with him lately, he should do the same.

“I’ve been struggling so much with my own life decisions lately, wondering what to do with my life, what path to take and whether that’s the best decision for me. I feel as if I’m going to fall short of my goal to defeat the Generation of Miracles and win first place for my school. It probably sounds stupid to someone that achieved more in their life at my age… but this was what has been the most important thing to me in High School. And my chances of fulfilling my goal feel so small, with so little time left, that I don’t know… maybe if I did have a past life, it would be nice to know if I was a failure or not…”

Kise averted his gaze, rubbing his arm uncomfortably as he spoke his insecurities aloud, not sure whether he would like the look that Kaiba might be giving him then and there at his words.

But after a moment of silence, and a sigh that could only be from Kaiba, Kise looked towards the brunette man, surprised to see his face softer than usual, but his eyes closed so that Kise couldn’t read the emotions in them.

“You’re an idiot if you think you’re a failure. Believe me… I would tell you if you were. But if talking to that wannabe priest will make you happy… I won’t stop you.”

Kise felt his heart skip a beat at Kaiba’s words. Was he trying to comfort him in his own way?

When Kaiba finally met his gaze however, his eyes were unreadable, and Kise simply smiled, hoping his silent thanks was understood by Kaiba.

“Let’s go!” Kise said excitedly, and didn’t wait for Kaiba’s confirmation as he quickly walked in the direction in which Priest Seto had gone.

Kaiba for his part, watched the blonde practically sprint away, and considered leaving him to the task alone.

But he looked so happy, and perhaps he was a bit curious himself.

Not to mention the thought of that Priest alone with Kise didn’t sit well with him, considering their earlier interaction.

So he followed.

* * *

In the end, they had to ask a guard to lead them to Priest Seto, who seemed to be kneeling in a ceremonial room with Egyptian God statues standing tall all around, with the man kneeling in front of what looked like an altar and praying.

Kise hesitated at the entrance, but was glad that the guard that led them there was the one to quietly approach the kneeling man, kneeling next to him and whispering unintelligible words that Kise was sure was him telling him of their arrival.

A short moment later the guard stood and turned away, bowing his head respectfully to the other two men as he walked past them and back to his duties.

Thankfully, they didn’t have to wait long before he stood and turned to face them, his eyes a cool calculative look as he sized them up again as he approached them.

“You wish to speak with me?” he asked cooly, making Kise stand taller as he nodded.

“Yes… I have some questions…”

Perhaps it was the look in Kise’s eyes, the fierce determination behind his golden orbs that caused Priest Seto to look on for just a moment longer, before closing his eyes and turning away from them.

“Very well, follow me.”

He spoke calmly, but with a hint of resignation, and led the way towards a different door within the room from which they had found him in, where it seemed a sitting room awaited them, with a table surrounded by decorated chairs and an arrangement of fruits atop the table.

“Have a seat,” he said as he motioned to the chairs, and while Kise and Priest Seto took a seat, Kaiba remained standing, and Kise only spared him a confused glance while his doppelganger narrowed his eyes at the gesture but didn’t comment.

“What questions do you have for me, Ryota?”

Once again, the familiar way that Priest Seto addressed him made Kise blush, making him hesitate for a moment on asking his question.

“I... want to know about the man I remind you of... is it possible he’s a past life of mine? Like you are to Kaibacchi?”

Priest Seto rested his face against his closed knuckles, regarding Kise with another calculative look.

“What makes you think that?” he asked, and Kise knew from the tone of his voice that he was baiting him, and perhaps he was more intuitive than Kise had initially thought when he considered the little piece of information that he had that indeed made him consider it a possibility.

“Well... because I had a vision... before you approached us. I saw him... he looked like me but wearing different clothes... red pants and a white headdress that I’ve never seen before, with a kind of cropped blue shirt, and he was standing next to you... right where we were at the oasis...”

At his words, Priest Seto’s eyes had narrowed even further, a guarded look now in his face.

“But his eyes were different... they were red...” Kise added, and this time, he watched with fascination as Priest Seto’s eyes widened slightly.

At this added bit of information, Priest Seto stood straighter again, and now looked at Kise with a piercing gaze.

“I see... if that is what you saw, then it very well had to be a vision. You are describing him exactly as he was when we were alive. You must indeed be his reincarnation... as to why you have managed to receive a vision... I wonder...”

His gaze turned downwards, as if thinking of something only he could know of.

“Then... who was he? I’d like to know about him...”

Once more Priest Seto looked at the blonde with a calculative look, before sighing a moment later.

“Very well, I will tell you.”

Kise couldn’t help but smile at his answer, his heart speeding up with both excitement and nervousness.

“His name... was Gilgamesh... King of Uruk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh yeah… did I mention this was also a crossover with Fate/Grand Order? I did tag this fic under “multiple crossovers” right? Hehe.
> 
> Ok so let me explain… I know I’m not the only one whose seen Gilgamesh and thought “Oh no, he looks like Kise but a much bigger cocky asshole version!” Especially when he’s not in his servant form. Don’t worry about not knowing anything about Fate to understand the next direction this story is taking. I really don’t take anything from the series except the character designs and powers/abilities, but I will make a lot of subtle references to the FGO mobile game for those that do know it. I’ve only recently started playing the mobile game and I’m barely at the Fourth Singularity, so I haven’t played the Babylon chapter, and its probably going to take me a long while to get there(sadly, I’m sure there’s a lot more references I could make if I had played it while writing this story)! 
> 
> But from what I’ve seen, Caster Gilgamesh is a much more tame version compared to Archer Gil and I think it fits really well into this story. If you guys are confused by all these words then I recommend you download FGO on your phone and try the game yourselves. Especially if you enjoy history and mythology. If you want to see the anime I highly recommend Fate Zero(currently on Hulu), it’s by far my favorite of the series, but Apocrypha(Netflix) is good too and where I met my husbando Astolfo, but you won’t see Gilgamesh in Apocrypha and it’s harder to follow if you’re not familiar with Fate, so Fate/Zero is definitely a good starting point(with the best story).
> 
> Again, you don’t need to know Fate to enjoy what’s coming next, especially since FGO draws from the Epic of Gilgamesh which is the main piece of literature I’ll allude to.
> 
> Also I tried to find the artist of this picture but alas couldn't find it. Always credit artists when you can guys!


	25. The Lost Tale of Gilgamesh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kise learns about his ancient past.

Wait... what?

Kise’s mind was reeling and he was sure he looked like a fish out of water as he gaped at Priest Seto.

_Gilgamesh_?

_The _Gilgamesh?

As in the one he only knew of because it was mandatory reading in their literature class? The one from the _Epic of Gilgamesh_?

The legendary Babylonian King? Who Kise had to write a report on and hated every minute of?

“The... King of Heroes? Who fought the Bull of Heaven?” Kise found himself asking, almost breathless, remembering what many had called the man of myth and one of his feats in what he had thought was just a work of fiction.

At this, Priest Seto raised an inquisitive eyebrow as he looked at Kise with renewed interest.

“You know of him?” he asked, and Kise nodded numbly.

“Yeah... we read a poem about him in school...” Kise replied, head still swimming with the knowledge that indeed they were thinking of the same man.

At his answer, Priest Seto’s lips quirked up in amusement.

“Is that so... well depending on how accurate this _poem _you speak of is, then you should know that as King of Uruk, Gilgamesh was rather spoiled and egocentric, but not without reason considering his strength and power. It was only when Enkidu was sent to defeat him by the Gods and failed, but none the less proved his power, that he was grounded once more. Or as _he _put it, no longer bored.”

At this added bit of information, Kise tensed. Because didn’t that sound just like him? Hadn’t that always been his problem? That just about everything became _boring_? Until someone he respected came around and brought purpose back into his life?

“Nevertheless, the two became friends, and went on a journey that ended in his companion’s death. It was after Enkidu’s death that Gilgamesh became aware of his own mortality and sought the key to immortality, and after hearing of the power of our millennium magic, thought that we might have found what he sought. He came here under the guise of a traveling dancer, and mingled with our people, who welcomed and accepted him easily enough after being charmed by his talent and foreign looks. One day he managed to earn an invitation to the palace temple during a festival as part of the entertainment...”

At this point, Kise was lost in the tale, but was brought back to the moment when Priest Seto paused to cross his arms and sigh at the memory he was recalling.

“He was like a clever child and trickster rolled into one. He seemed to enjoy playing the role of a common dancer despite being a King, and made it his goal to drive me mad with his antics. He chose not to confront me about the millennium magic for some time, and somehow got into my good graces enough to be a regular guest at the palace. When he finally confronted me about the magic he had heard about, I told him it was long gone and by far a means for immortality. Despite this, he chose to stay as my chosen Vizier, my right-hand advisor.”

Again, Priest Seto paused, and this time, Kise could feel his hesitation, as if he didn’t want to say more, and Kise took this opportunity to ask some of his questions and hopefully ease him into saying more.

“Was he really part God?” Kise asked, recalling what little he could remember from the readings in high school, and blinked when the brunette across from him scoffed.

“Who is to say, even to me, the man remained a mystery. Yet, the reason he was considered a great King was because he could master anything and no one could defeat him. His magic certainly helped.”

Kise blinked.

“He knew magic?” he reiterated, as if saying it aloud would make it sound more probable.

Priest Seto nodded.

“One of his whims was turning his eyes red with it.”

At that Kise couldn’t help the small laugh that left his lips, surprising the man in front of him, whose eyes suddenly became unfocused at the sound of it.

“Sounds like something I would do if I could use magic,” he explained, and Kise wondered why the way Priest Seto’s eyes warmed made his stomach clench.

“Hm.”

The moment passed, and feeling the resistance once more, Kise figured it was best to push if he wanted answers.

“You seemed surprised to see me... does that mean you and Gilgamesh went your separate ways eventually?”

For some reason, Kise didn’t like the thought of that. Although he understood that Gilgamesh and Priest Seto were not himself and Kaiba, he liked the thought that in another life they were such close friends, and if the way Priest Seto had greeted him said anything at all... perhaps more.

Priest Seto’s hesitance was again palpable as a stormy look came over his eyes and Kise didn’t miss the way he clenched his fists that rested atop the table.

“Yes... for a long time he seemed happy to stay, and it wasn’t until one of his subjects came to look for him that I found out he was the King of Uruk. His subject said that trouble had befallen his old kingdom... that Enkidu had taken over and demanded the return of the King of Kings...”

“But... Enkidu died, didn't he?” Kise asked, eyebrows scrunched as he tried to grasp the situation.

“Yes... he was supposed to be dead. But according to his subject, he had returned... but something was off about him. He no longer cared for the people or animals, and demanded Gilgamesh’s return or he would kill everyone and destroy Uruk. Unable to ignore the threat and the friend he thought dead, Gilgamesh agreed to return. I offered my army, but Gilgamesh did not want Egypt involved, claiming it was his challenge to face alone. I wanted to come with him, but he refused to let me, going as far as casting a spell that wouldn’t allow me to go after him...”

Priest Seto paused and frowned, and this time, Kise didn’t have the heart to push him.

After a short moment however, the brunette sighed and unclenched his fists.

“After almost an entire solar cycle and waiting for his return with nothing and no news, I finally sent my own envoy to Uruk to find out what happened. And while they found the city unharmed, they found that both Gilgamesh and Enkidu had disappeared. No one knew what had happened to them, only that they had left long prior to the west. Of course, I had my envoys and others search for him, but found nothing. I never saw him again...”

Kise’s own eyes were downcast at Priest Seto’s last words, his heart constricting at the hint of sadness he could hear in it. And it _was _sad... to never be able to see your friend, expecting him to come back, only to never see him again, and with no answers.

“I see...” Kise said, unsure of where to go from there.

It seemed insensitive to ask anything else after that, and Kise looked up to see Priest Seto’s face, whose expression was now unreadable.

Still, from the way he had spoken of Gilgamesh, Kise could tell that he respected the man a great deal, and Kise would go as far as to say that he missed him. It was enough for Kise to know that in fact his past self was a great man, which both pleased Kise _and _gave him a sense of inadequacy, because how could he, a mere basketball high schooler, ever compare to a legendary King?

Kise had wanted to hear that he was indeed the reincarnation of at least a decent person, but in turn, he had gotten much more than he had hoped for. Rather than feel better about the fact, he felt even more of a failure for not living up to the legacy of his previous self.

“Thank you, for answering my questions Priest Seto,” he replied, and even to him, his voice sounded more subdued than usual.

“It was of little effort,” he replied.

It was only then that Kise noticed the shift in movement from the man still standing in his peripheral vision.

“If we’re done here, we should go find the Pharaoh and the others. We shouldn’t stay longer than we have to, and we’ve stayed long enough.”

Kise looked over to Kaiba, who stood with his arms crossed across his chest and sparing him a glance with unreadable eyes, making Kise nod.

It didn’t seem like they had sat there for very long, but perhaps they had if Kaiba had spoken up. At least he didn’t sound angry or displeased in any way, and that made Kise feel a little better about his request to talk to the ancient Priest.

“Yeah... okay...” Kise replied in agreement.

Kaiba was already walking away by the time Kise began to get up, and Kise wondered if this is where they would part ways as the Priest remained seated, his gaze trained absent mindedly on the bowl of fruit.

The thought gave Kise pause, knowing there was one more question he wanted to ask, and unsure of how to go about it.

He knew if he didn’t ask now, he wouldn’t have another chance. He didn’t expect to ever come back to this dimension, and the fact that he was even there was a chance of fate, that Kise would be with Kaiba when he received the call from Yugi about the change of plans.

But would his question mean anything about his own life?

He wasn’t the King of Kings, and what this Seto thought about his past life wouldn’t reflect the Kaiba that he knew in his own time.

And yet... Kise still wanted to know.

“Did you... love him?”

The words were out of his mouth before Kise could fully register the choice his mind had made, and it was with difficulty that Kise forced his gaze to meet Priest Seto’s who met it with hardened eyes.

His cold gaze warmed however, and it was only then that Kise realized he had been holding his breath as he finally breathed in a sigh.

“Yes.”

And Kise knew, from the warmth in his eyes, that he hadn’t answered about a love between friends, but a love of two lovers.

It made Kise smile sadly despite the circumstances, and with a nod began to follow in the direction that Kaiba had left.

“Wait.”

Kise paused, turning to the priest once more just as he was getting up from the chair.

In silence, Priest Seto closed the distance between them, and when he was standing in front of him, Kise could only watch with curiosity as the brunette reached for something around his neck, only to reveal a necklace that had been hidden by his clothes, and as he removed the hidden accessory, Kise could see that it was little more than a thin piece of rope with what looked like a golden ring hanging from it.

“This was his... the only thing he left behind.”

The way that he held it out towards told Kise that he wanted him to take it, and Kise frowned at the unexpected action.

“You want me to take it? No way! Didn’t he leave it for you?” Kise protested.

“Something tells me you should have it,” Priest Seto replied with narrowed eyes.

“But...” Kise tried to argue, but the priest was quick to grab his hand and place the necklace in it, wrapping the string around his wrist.

“Perhaps if you ever return here... I shall consider taking it back.”

Kise felt his cheeks grow warm at the cheeky grin on the man’s face, and the blonde wondered if this really was a way to encourage him to come back again, or if he was just joking.

“Consider it a gift then. Even if you are not him, I am glad to be able to see his face again, and hear his voice... even if it is for the last time.”

At his sincere words, Kise felt as if his heart dropped, and he had to gulp before nodding. This gift was too heartfelt to be turned down, and Kise knew that it could not be easy to part with. If this man that had lived thousands of years prior was choosing to give it to him, then how could he turn it down?

“Okay... thank you then. I’ll take good care of it.”

Priest Seto gave a single nod in acceptance, and Kise shifted on his feet.

“I guess I’ll get going then... it was nice meeting you,” Kise told him.

After all, what else was there to say? Have a good afterlife? This wasn’t exactly a scenario anyone was ever really prepared for.

“Do not give up on him. If he resembles me in any way, he is stubborn to a fault.”

Kise blinked as he turned to look back at the priest, his heart fluttering in his chest, but was only met with his retreating form as he walked in the opposite direction to a different door.

Kise didn’t have to think hard on who Priest Seto had been referring to, since there was only one person that he could be speaking about when it came to the two of them.

Seto Kaiba.

It caused Kise to smile slightly, and as he placed the necklace he was given in his pocket, Kise hurried in the direction that Kaiba had gone, his mood once again raised after his last exchange with the ancient priest.

* * *

After Kise caught up with Kaiba, it didn’t take long to find Yugi and the others, and this time they didn’t even need to find a guard to lead them to the room they occupied. They were able to hear their laughter echo down the hall they were walking down, and only had to follow the sound to seem them sitting on pillows.

They looked like teenagers having a sleepover, with the Pharaoh sitting cross-legged and posture straight, while Tea lay on her stomach and Yugi on his back, and the two of them holding hands. But the sight of equally happy and large smiles on their faces made Kise smile warmly as he took the scene in.

Their approach was immediately noticed by the Pharaoh, who turned to them with a welcoming smile.

“Ah, Kaiba and Kise, would you like to join us?” he greeted, and Yugi and Tea also looked to them, sending encouraging smiles and nods their way.

Kise was flattered that the Pharaoh remembered his name and looked to Kaiba for guidance. The two hadn’t really talked while making their way down the halls of the palace, but Kise could see that Kaiba looked more tense than usual, and figured he was eager to go back to their own dimension. Since he was his guest, Kise would do whatever Kaiba wanted.

“Thanks, but no thanks Atem, I just came to tell Yugi that we should be leaving. It’s dangerous to stay much longer, and I have to run diagnostics to make sure there were no long-term damages from this visit.”

At his words, Yugi and Tea’s faces visibly drooped with disappointment and sadness.

“I see, then we should say our goodbye’s,” Atem replied, getting up from his seated position, but disappointment also tinged his voice, “I’ll walk with you to your ship and see you off.”

The offer to spend a little more time with them at least prompted his friends to get up and nod, knowing that it was best to follow Kaiba’s advice when it came to these matters.

Atem led the way back the way they had come, and the three continued to talk and laugh amongst themselves as Kaiba and Kise trailed quietly behind them.

When they reached the gates from where they had entered, the Pharaoh notified his guards that he would be walking them further, and although Kise doubted there were many kinds of danger one had to face in the afterlife, he was surprised to see that several of the guards followed beside and behind them.

As they entered the city and walked through the streets, the people stilled around them and bowed as they passed, more deeply now that it was the true Pharaoh that walked among them. In turn, Atem smiled to the children that were too young to fully understand what the others were doing and looked on at him with awe instead.

It was an interesting sight, and Kise could see that indeed Atem was a kind and loved King.

As they walked, Kise stole several glances at Kaiba, but the brunette seemed adamant on avoiding his gaze as he kept his eyes straight ahead in the direction they were walking towards, and Kise sighed as he looked up at the shimmering sky.

His headache had at least subsided, but now his head felt overwhelmed by the plethora of new information that he was still struggling to process. Not only had he found out that Kaiba was the reincarnation of an ancient priest and helped save the world several times from dark magic, but also that he had the technology to travel to the Egyptian afterlife of said previous life, _and _that he himself was the reincarnation of the ancient King Gilgamesh.

If he was honest with himself, a large part of him was expecting to wake up and it all be a dream, it surely felt surreal enough to be a dream.

All too soon they reached the ship that had brought them here, and Kise felt both relieved and disappointed that their trip was so short-lived. There was still so much he wanted to know, so much he would have loved to explore.

But there was no time, and everyone reluctantly understood that, especially Yugi and Tea considering the forlorn look they were casting Atem.

The Pharaoh turned to Kaiba and Kise first, eyes warm as he regarded them.

“Thank you for bringing my friends here Kaiba. I truly appreciate it,” he said to the brunette, who in turn crossed his arms across his chest.

“Don’t mention it, Yugi is doing me a favor in return, so it’s even,” Kaiba replied, and Kise wondered what exactly Yugi had promised to do in return.

“Regardless, I’m glad to see you again as well, will you be visiting again in the future?” Atem asked, and at the question, Kaiba frowned.

“Who knows,” Kaiba finally replied, avoiding the Pharaoh’s gaze.

Despite the cold and aloof answer, Atem smiled, as if he already knew the answer, before his gaze turned to Kise.

“It was a pleasure to meet you, Kise Ryota,” he said to him, and Kise stiffened for only a moment before returning the Pharaoh’s smile.

“Likewise, Pharaoh, thank you for the hospitality. I’m happy to have met Kaibacchi’s rival,” Kise replied.

He honestly wished he could have talked more to the Pharaoh, there was plenty he would have loved to ask about their journey and how much of what he had seen from the King of Games had been Yugi, and what had been the Pharaoh. There were so many holes in the newly acquired knowledge he had gained, and he wasn’t quite sure if Kaiba would be willing to tell it all to him.

“Take good care of him, Kaiba might be tough, but it’s what gets him into trouble sometimes,” the Pharaoh added with a teasing smile, causing Kaiba to glare and huff at him.

This time, Kise turned to look at Kaiba beside him, and feeling particularly bold, bumped his side against his, surprising the brunette who finally turned his gaze towards him with an indignant glare.

“No worries, he’s stuck with me now,” Kise replied, his gaze still on Kaiba as he smiled warmly at him.

This time, Kaiba regarded him for a moment longer before turning his gaze away, but didn’t move away from the blonde.

Finally, the Pharaoh turned to Yugi and Tea, who were both tearing up with the knowledge that this was goodbye.

“I am glad to have seen you both again, and honored that you wished to share the news of your upcoming union with me in person. I am happy to know that you have found happiness with each other, and will spend the rest of your lives together. Know that the time I spent with you and our friends are seared into my heart, and will never be forgotten, despite the distance between us.”

At his profound words, Tea could no longer hold back her tears, and they cascaded down her cheeks freely, while Yugi sniffed and rubbed at his eyes.

“I’m glad to be able to see you too Atem. I wish it was possible for you to share our special day with us...” Yugi replied.

“I shall be there in spirit,” the irony of that statement caused Yugi and Tea to grin through their tears.

“Thank you for everything Atem... it never gets easy saying goodbye to an amazing friend,” Tea said, her tears having calmed slightly.

“Indeed... but we belong in different times, and it was a gift enough to have shared the time we did.”

Tea and Yugi nodded, and Kaiba sighed as he let his arms fall to his sides again.

“Let’s go before these goodbye’s last another lifetime,” Kaiba said as he walked towards the now open door of the ship.

Kise followed after the brunette, giving the Pharaoh one last smile as he passed him on his way to the ship, and watched from the corner of his eye as the three friends embraced.

By then Kaiba was already sitting at his chair, readying the ship that came alive with a soft whir, and Kise took the seat next to him, strapping himself in and proceeded to watch Kaiba work silently.

He wondered what he was thinking... and what his thoughts were on Kise’s previous life and the fact that his own past self had had a connection with him.

Still, he figured those questions would have to wait until they were alone again, and hopefully when Kaiba was more receptive to talking.


	26. Surrender

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaiba has something for Kise once they return to their own dimension.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sweats*  
I'm super nervous about this chapter. Please let me know what you think.

The trip back home was much like it was getting there, a disorienting and nauseas affair, but before long they were back at the station and rode the elevator back down in relative silence, all just taking in the experience of being back in their own dimension.

Thankfully the scan that Kaiba had done after they arrived showed no noticeable damage to them from their travel to a different dimension, and it was with a somber goodbye but a cheery promise of visiting the shop of the King of Games that they went their separate ways.

Kise walked alongside Kaiba as they made their way back to the garage where they had left the car, and it was only then that Kise remembered to check his phone to look at the time.

He was surprised to find that only about three hours had passed since he last checked his phone before they left, and it felt both longer and shorter than it had been, but late enough that Kise felt guilty about asking for a ride home from Kaiba considering he already knew the schedule for trains and it was once again too late for the second one.

Just as he was about to ask Kaiba if he was available to drop him off, the brunette spoke first.

“I have something for you at my place.”

Kise blinked, surprised at the statement.

“You do? What is it?” Kise asked, trying to think of anything he might have forgotten during his last stay in Domino City.

“It’s... a _surprise_...” the way that Kaiba mumbled the last part as if embarrassed caused Kise to grin and his heart to do a funny flutter in his chest.

If Kise was surprised before, he was downright dumbfounded now. But the thought that Kaiba had a surprise for him made him warm in a just as unexpected way.

“Okay Kaibacchi,” Kise replied, “I like surprises.”

They got into the car, and Kise figured they would head to the Kaiba mansion, and was instead surprised when only fifteen minutes later, Kaiba turned onto what looked like the parking garage of one of the city’s buildings, quickly traveling up towards the upper floors.

“Is this the place you keep in the city?” Kise asked, remembering Mokuba had told him that Kaiba had a penthouse within the city for times that he didn’t want to go back to their mansion after work.

“Yes.”

They parked in what Kise could see was the top floor of the attached parking garage, where spaces were reserved, and followed after him after he got out of the car and walked towards the attached elevator of the building. It seemed that this elevator required a key card that Kaiba flashed across a receptor that flashed green before the door opened.

Kise leaned against the elevator door as Kaiba pressed the button labeled “P” after once again flashing his keycard.

Kaiba was surprised that Kise had been fairly quiet during their ride over, and wondered how he was processing the surprise trip they had undergone. If he was honest with himself, he thought Kise was handling it well all things considered, if his silence was the only tell that he had been affected at all. It at least told him his brain was working to process it all if he wasn't yet asking him a million questions a minute. 

What he hadn’t expected, was the knowledge that Kise also had a past life, and that his own past self had recognized him.

Who would have known that Kise was the reincarnation of the King Gilgamesh?

Then again, was there anything that didn’t surprise him anymore? Especially when it came to the blonde man beside him? Just when he thought there was nothing that could surprise him, he did something else that sent him in a loop, and this time, it wasn’t even intentional.

In moments they reached the penthouse level, and the door opened directly onto the open space that was the closest thing he could call his fortress of solitude. The place only he and Mokuba had ever been allowed in besides those who maintained it.

Until now.

As Kise stepped into Kaiba’s penthouse that lit up from what must have been motion-sensors, he wasn’t surprised by the level of luxury it immediately exuded. With a sleek and modern look and black appliances in the kitchen, white living room couch set, high ceiling with white walls with some accented gray walls, floor to ceilings windows that showcased the night-lit city beyond, and a staircase that led to an upper level, it was every bit of high end that Kise had learned to expect from the billion-dollar CEO. And still, it took his breath away at the elegance of it.

The entire floor was dimly lit with a warm glow, and the two took off their shoes at the entrance a few steps away from the elevator door. Kaiba then stepped into the kitchen, and grabbed a small control from the island and adjusted the lighting to be just a bit brighter.

“Do you want anything to drink?” Kaiba asked.

Now that he thought about, Kise was parched if the dryness in his throat was any indication.

“Sure, what do you have?” Kise asked, leaning against the island and looking at Kaiba with an eager spark in his eye.

“Whatever’s in the fridge, wine, and some liquor. Help yourself.”

Kise grinned as he met Kaiba’s gaze.

“Neh Kaibacchi, you’d give me alcohol before I'm legally allowed?” Kise teased, to which Kaiba just shrugged as he walked towards one of his cabinets and pulled out two short glasses.

“It’s not like you haven’t had it before, besides...” Kaiba paused as he filled each glass with ice from the dispenser, recalling the drunken phone call from Kise on his birthday.

“Everything considered, I wouldn’t blame you if you need it.”

Kaiba had a point there. Kise's head was still swirling with what they had done today, and his body felt heavy with the knowledge of it. Perhaps some liquid courage would make it easier for him to absorb it all.

“Well, I _am _a whiskey kind of guy...” Kise replied, “What about you Kaibacchi? What do you like to drink?”

Kise appreciated that Kaiba still took out a bottle of water from the fridge for him as he slid open a door that showcased his impressive collection of alcoholic drinks, as he eagerly uncapped the water bottle and took a few gulps.

“I’m partial to bourbon,” Kaiba replied as he motioned for Kise to take a look.

Kise approached the cabinet with an appreciative whistle as he took in all the expensive labels, but noticed that most of them looked unopened or barely touched. It seemed fitting that Kaiba wouldn’t be much of a drinker but still had a full liquor cabinet.

As his gaze roved over the whiskey brands he recognized, his eyes widened when he read a particular label.

“No way! You have this? I’ve only ever heard about it,” Kise said as he reached for the tawny-colored bottle that was still unopened.

“Help yourself,” Kaiba said as he took in the excited look on Kise’s face, the way his eyes lit up.

Kise grinned as he took the bottle to island where the glasses sat, opening it happily. If it wasn’t Kaiba that Kise was with, he would have felt bad for opening what he knew to be an expensive bottle, but he knew Kaiba was in no shortage of money.

As he poured himself a good amount of whiskey, he watched as Kaiba retrieved his own beverage, bourbon of course, and walked over to pour himself his own drink.

Kise grinned as he held up his glass to Kaiba expectantly, who looked unimpressed but still indulged him as he reluctantly clanked his own glass against his with a resounding _clink_.

“To surviving the afterlife!” Kise declared while Kaiba resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

Wanting to savor the drink, Kise drank a good amount, letting it sit on his tongue for a moment before swallowing it, and made a satisfied sound as it went down smoothly, the savory taste of it lingering on his tongue.

“Wow, that’s good, I didn’t think cinnamon and pineapple would go so well,” Kise admired as he swirled the drink around the cup.

“I didn’t think you’d know your whiskey...” Kaiba observed as he watched Kise take another savoring sip of the drink.

Kise turned his gaze to him, leaning against the island.

“Well, my dad is kind of a whiskey connoisseur. He would always let me have a drink with him during holidays and birthdays since I was fourteen and tell me all about what made them special and different,” he replied.

Ah, that made sense. From what Kise had talked of his family, they were all fairly close.

“It’s actually one of the few things me and my dad can really bond over. He doesn’t really approve of my modeling career, thinking that it’s for girls and not a real man’s job,” Kise added with a shrug.

“He would love nothing more than to see me fail at it and say ‘I told you so’, and one of the reasons I wanted to pierce my ears was in spite. Although It was painful so I was only able to do one,” Kise laughed as he touched his ear, which for the first time Kaiba noticed that in place of his usual hoop earring, there adorned a simple stud.

“Then prove him wrong,” Kaiba said, and Kise smiled at him.

“I plan on it," Kise replied, not waiting for a response before walking over in the direction of the living room.

"You know… you’re the first one I’ve told that to…” he said as Kaiba walked behind him, missing the flash of surprise in his eyes.

As Kise made his way over to the windows, he took in the dark gray matte tiled floor, the large abstract paintings that blended well with the whites and grays of the rest of the penthouse, and built in overhead lighting that gave the area a comforting glow. He passed a small sitting area with a table in the center, several decorative plants along the wall, and some bookcases, before finally rounding the corner that housed what looked like a smaller, more private living room area with a TV built into the wall and cream-colored sectional couches along the windows where Kise could see Kaiba reclining and maybe even watching a movie.

But since it was the view that interested Kise, he walked over to the windows and stopped just short of the glass. He wasn’t used to heights, so looking beyond gave him a sense of vertigo for a second before he could fully appreciate the view presented to him.

The city beyond was a brightly lit and dotted landscape that Kise had only seen on TV with other cities. It looked like an ocean of lights where the smaller buildings were clustered together. The moon shone off to the side, but hard to appreciate with all the man-made lights illuminating the sky.

“This is an amazing view Kaibacchi...” Kise said aloud, and was glad to hear Kaiba’s approach just beside him.

“But I gotta say... it’s not as amazing as the sight of Earth from your space station,” Kise added, still not quite believing that he had even seen such a sight with his own eyes.

“Hn.”

Kise was happy to just take in the sight of the city, with Kaiba next to him, a silent but solid figure, both of them sipping the drinks in their hands. The alcohol had done its job, and Kise felt the warmth pool in his stomach. Thankfully he had eaten well earlier, and with his high metabolism, he knew it would take much more for him to feel anything more than warmth from the drink.

Once Kise finished his drink, he turned to look at Kaiba again.

“So Kaibacchi... what’s my surprise?” Kise asked.

Part of him hadn’t wanted to ask, because although he was dying to know what Kaiba had for him, it also meant one step closer to their time together ending.

“Come with me.”

Kaiba motioned for Kise’s glass, which Kise gave to him, and then followed after him with a slowly growing sense of excitement. They passed the sitting area where Kaiba set down the glasses on the table, before they proceeded to the stairs that led to the second level.

From there, Kise was able to take in the view of the area below, before he followed Kaiba down a hallway until they stopped in front of a closed double door.

As Kaiba opened the door, he revealed the most elegant room Kise had ever seen with an even greater breathtaking view that he had seen from the living room area. The bedroom itself was sparsely decorated, with the bed in the center to the wall next to the entrance, facing what Kise could only describe as an open view that if he didn’t know any better might believe there was absolutely no wall across from it. It was a single window, floor to ceiling with the blinds withdrawn so that Kise could see an uninterrupted view of the city beyond.

Had Kise not been so awestruck, he would have noticed Kaiba walk to his dresser where a small rectangular box lay atop of it.

“This is insane Kaibacchi...” Kise openly admired, resisting the urge to once again make his way to the window in fear that he would simply walk off and fall to his death.

“It’s the best view money can buy.”

At the sound of Kaiba’s voice, Kise finally turned his gaze to the brunette just in time to see him approaching him with the black box in his hand, causing Kise to blink in surprise as he took in the sight of the white bow atop of it as Kaiba stopped short of him and extended the box towards him.

Instinctively, Kise reached out and took it from him.

“What’s this for?” Kise asked, genuinely confused at what could only be a gift.

He looked to Kaiba’s face to see him glance away.

“It’s... a birthday gift...” he slowly admitted, “It is customary for friends to give birthday gifts, is it not?”

At his response, Kise couldn’t help but smile widely. He could tell that Kaiba wasn’t used to giving people gifts, aside from Mokuba of course, and it touched him deeply that he had gone out of his way to get him something.

“Kaibacchi... you do care!” Kise felt warmth unrelated to the alcohol he consumed travel to his cheeks, and he had to resist the urge to throw his arms around the man across from him.

Kaiba huffed.

“Just open it.”

Not needing to be told twice, Kise slowly took of the ribbon that held the bow to the box, and looked at Kaiba briefly once more before reaching towards the lid.

He didn’t know what to expect... a bracelet? A watch? It certainly looked like a jewelry box.

What he didn’t expect however... was what lay inside.

As Kise removed the lid, his eyes widened as he took in the sight of what could only be the recognizable back of a duel monster’s card, and Kise saw that indeed it was a duel monster’s deck.

At a loss for words, Kise gently removed the deck from the container, and gave the box to Kaiba to hold so he could look through it.

“I know you were upset about not being able to use the deck you built at the audition... so I went ahead and gathered the cards I could from what you chose.”

Kise blinked as he sifted through the deck, seeing that indeed it was the cards he had chosen to build his deck during the audition back at KaibaCorp... his dream deck.

“Kaibacchi... I... I don’t know what to say...” Kise said, almost breathlessly as he looked up to look at Kaiba.

It was one of the most thoughtful gifts Kaiba, or anyone, could have gotten for him, despite what had happened only a few weeks ago that almost ruined their friendship.

“You don’t have to say anything.”

Despite his words, Kise felt as if he understood what Kaiba meant by this action.

_‘I’m sorry for rigging the game against you.’_

And Kise knew that this was just another way of Kaiba apologizing without saying the words, and it made Kise incredibly happy.

“You know Kaibacchi...” Kise said, “You just made it a lot easier for me to beat you.”

At the challenge, Kaiba smirked.

“Hmph. We’ll see about that.”

So much had happened that day. Things Kise didn’t think were even possible... that he hadn't fully wrapped his mind around.

And yet...

In that moment, all of it was forgotten.

All that Kise could focus on was the sight of Kaiba in front of him, his handsome and sharp features, his blue eyes, and the way the sight of him made him feel. The warmth in his stomach spread throughout his body just as he felt his heart beat faster. There was a giddiness in the pit of his stomach that made him feel bold... bold enough to step closer to Kaiba, and reach towards the box that he still held so that his fingers gently brushed along the hand that held it, and Kise watched as Kaiba’s stiffened at the intentional touch, his gaze darkening as he looked back at Kise.

Slowly, almost torturously, Kise pulled the box from Kaiba’s fingers, and put the deck back inside, looking up at Kaiba through his lashes as he closed the lid over it once more.

Kaiba for his part, resisted the urge to shiver at Kise’s touch, and swallowed at the molten look reflecting in his gold eyes.

It was the same look that Kise had given him back at his office, the unmistakable look of want that begged Kaiba to give into his own growing desire and push Kise up against the nearest wall and finally taste him.

He remembered the feel of them pressed closely together, the way Kise had touched his torso in a way that made him feel hotter with a single touch than anyone had ever managed with much more.

Back then, he had stopped himself before he could cross that line, simply because he hadn’t trusted Kise.

But that had changed now, hadn’t it?

Kise was no longer under-age, and hadn’t he admitted to both him and himself that he trusted him?

Trusted him enough to tell him of his past, something he had done with no one before. Trusted him with even the knowledge of his ability to travel to another dimension, and certainly enough to bring him on what should have been a private affair?

“Kaibacchi...” Kise whispered, stepping even closer, and the last thing Kaiba wanted was to step away.

“I want to kiss you...”

Kise was now the only person besides Mokuba to know what he did about him. He had let him past his almost every defense... and now here he stood... asking him to let down yet another. Because Kaiba knew... without a doubt... if he tasted this boy... he might not want to stop.

Kise raised his free hand to touch Kaiba’s cheek, his thumb gently caressing against his skin and causing him to shiver.

“Can I?”

Kise’s face was now even closer, so that Kaiba was able to feel their breaths mingling, and he couldn’t help but look away from Kise’s pleading gaze to his lips, slightly parted in anticipation.

Kaiba thought of the way his past self had kissed Kise’s hand, and how bothered he had felt to see someone touch Kise that way, and at the same time... angry at himself, because it was something he had wanted to do for a while and denied himself.

But it wasn’t Kise’s hand that Kaiba wanted to kiss... it was the lips that stood just in front of him, begging to be tasted by this boy that had snuck his way into his life and planted himself there. The boy who declared his intent to challenge him to a game he had lost his passion for and revived it, the boy who had accepted the closest thing to an apology that Kaiba was able to give with nothing but warmth and forgiveness, and the boy who chose to cry for his childhood but did not pity him...

And just like that, something snapped inside of him.

It was as if the gates he had struggled to keep closed finally opened, and the desire that Kaiba had kept under grips took over, so that before he knew it, his own body acted before his mind could catch up.

Kise’s breath hitched when one of Kaiba’s hands reached towards him and settled at the nape of his neck, a shiver running down his spine as his fingers buried themselves into his hair.

His eyes were a storm of emotion that Kise couldn’t read but got lost within just the same as Kaiba leaned in towards him.

Was he...?

“Kaibacch-”

But he didn’t get to finish his sentence as Kaiba tilted his head and closed the distance between them, and Kise’s heart skipped a beat as the lips he had yearned for finally touched his.

It was a firm kiss, his lips slightly rough against his softer ones.

But it didn’t matter.

Because the moment their lips touched, Kise felt as if he was struck by a bolt of lightning that traveled down his spine all the way down to his toes that caused him to groan as he immediately reached for Kaiba, the hand that had been against his cheek wrapping around the back of his neck to bring him closer while the hand that still held the black box rested against Kaiba's chest.

As their lips moved against each other open mouthed, Kaiba's other arm wrapped against Kise's waist, pulling him even closer before he sharply turned them around and walked Kise backwards until his back hit the wall, causing Kise to gasp and Kaiba to deepen the kiss and press up harder against him, one of his legs between Kise's.

Wanting to feel more, Kise set down the box on the dresser next to them, so that both hands were free to touch Kaiba, hands roaming up his back eagerly.

Kaiba swept his tongue into Kise's mouth, he could taste the whiskey lingering on his tongue as it darted out to meet his own, noting the hint of pineapple that Kise had talked about and causing Kaiba to groan as a shot of pleasure shot down his spine and to his groin.

_Fuck_.

Kaiba had known that Kise was dangerous, but only now did he know just _how_ dangerous he was, because he was impossibly the best thing Kaiba had ever tasted. Not to mention the breathless moan that Kise let out when Kaiba slipped his hands under his shirt and stroked up his sides, finally feeling the soft skin beneath, and the way his muscles tensed under his fingers was enough to make him quiver with another wave of lust.

But it wasn’t _enough_. Kaiba wanted _more_, wanted to taste more of the blonde in front of him.

He reluctantly broke away from his lips, smirking when Kise let out a mewl of disappointment and pulled at his shirt impatiently, only to move his lips to the side of Kise's neck, placing an open-mouthed kiss on the spot where his neck and shoulder met and licking roughly at the area.

Pleased when Kise gasped and arched against him, Kaiba kissed and licked across Kise's neck, wanting to know all his sensitive spots but conscious not to leave any visible marks until Kise was panting and grinding against him.

Kaiba could feel Kise's hardened member against his leg, and as Kise ground into him, he felt the delicious friction of his own erection against Kise’s leg travel up his spine in pleasurable waves.

“Kaibacchi…” Kise gasped as Kaiba brought their lips back together, tongues immediately seeking each other out as they kissed, and Kise decided he needed to feel more of Kaiba.

He untucked Kaiba's shirt and began to eagerly unbutton it with deft fingers, so that in no time he was urging Kaiba to slip the material off his body without breaking their wet kiss.

Kaiba's body was warm under Kise's touch, and he had to resist the urge to shiver where Kise's hands trailed up his torso and around his back, before trailing back down to his lower back until his hands settled on his hips. With a playful yank by his belt loops, Kise brought Kaiba forward for a particularly rough grind of their hips, causing them both to moan and shudder against each other.

Wanting more friction, Kaiba pulled away from Kise slightly, and before Kise could protest, he grabbed him from behind, both hands grasping firmly onto Kise's ass, earning him another delicious groan from the blonde before he swiftly brought his hands behind Kise's thighs and hiked him up against the wall so that Kaiba was pressed up against him between his parted legs, their erections pressing against each other making Kise gasp and wrap his arms around Kaiba’s neck, his hips grinding against him in desperate need of the new kind of friction between them, before Kaiba pressed harshly against him to still his movements.

Kise groaned in protest as he bit his own lip in frustration.

“_Kaibacchi_,” Kise whined as he tried to grind his pelvis against the other man despite the weight working against him.

“A little eager, aren’t we?” Kaiba teased, a smirk on his face as he took in the sight of the frustrated and breathless blonde trying to writhe against him.

“How can I not be?” Kise gasped, trying to gain his bearings as he brought Kaiba’s face closer to him by tightening his grip around his neck.

“I’ve wanted this for so long...” Kise admitted unashamed, smirking when Kaiba’s gaze darkened with lust, “And two can play at this game...”

To prove his point, Kise brought his lips to Kaiba’s neck, kissing and sucking at the sensitive flesh in much the same way Kaiba had done to him, pleased by the low groan that Kaiba let out and grinning when it was Kaiba who ground his pelvis against him this time.

Kise’s victory was cut short when Kaiba took ahold of both of Kise’s arms and brought them above his head, using his body to keep the rest of his body pinned between him and the wall, and kissed him deeply again. Kise closed his eyes and made a contented noise as Kaiba stuck his tongue deep into his mouth and rolled his hips against him.

Bringing Kise’s wrists together and holding it with one hand, Kaiba used his free hand to once again sneak his hand under Kise’s shirt to stroke up his torso, feeling each individual ab muscle that he had secretly admired when he had caught Kise changing in his room what felt like so long ago, and enjoying the feel of them tremble under his touch. He trailed his hand upward until it was splayed flat against his chest, using his thumb to deftly stroke at his nipple and causing Kise to arch up against him.

“Sensitive?” Kaiba asked as he rolled the nipple between his fingers until it was hard, pleased when Kise gasped and ground his hips against him more desperately.

Instead of answering, Kise opened his eyes and met Kaiba’s gaze, his eyes hooded with pleasure and lust at Kaiba’s touch.

His skin felt as if it was on fire and every part that Kaiba touched left a trail of goosebumps in its wake. Kise felt so impossibly turned on and he wanted Kaiba to touch _all _of him. He suddenly felt aware of just how much clothes still separated them and Kise wanted it _off_. He wanted to feel Kaiba’s chest against his chest, his hips against his.

He tried to move his hands, wanting to desperately take off his shirt so he could feel more of Kaiba, forgetting that they were being held firm by his hand and groaning in frustration.

“Bed?” Kise gasped out hopefully, nipping at Kaiba's bottom lip between his teeth and pulling just a little bit roughly.

Kaiba groaned at the request, his gaze flickering in the direction of the bed before rolling his hips against Kise’s once more and obliging the younger man by letting go of his wrists and easing his weight off him.

Kise grinned as Kaiba let him down so his feet were on the floor again, taking advantage of his freed hands to swiftly pull his shirt over his head and enjoying the way Kaiba’s heated gaze raked up his figure before he once again reached for the brunette, too eager to keep feeling and tasting him as he once again closed the distance between them. He wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him in to kiss him and bring them closer, groaning as their bare chests finally touched, and walked in the direction of the bed.

Kise could hardly believe that this was happening, that Kaiba was letting him kiss and touch him this way...

He had known that he wasn’t going to give up on trying, but it still felt surreal that it was happening.

Just as they reached the bed, Kise trailed his hand down Kaiba’s slim torso, admiring the smooth skin and lean muscle of his pale skin. Kise wondered if Kaiba worked out, since although lean and not as defined as his own, Kise could still make out a six-pack on him.

Too impatient to linger on the thought, Kise continued to his destination, where his hands grasped onto the belt of Kaiba’s pants, quickly undoing it with ease and moving on to the button beneath it, one hand undoing it while his other hand pulled down the zipper.

Kaiba could only tense as Kise’s hand quickly reached in to cup his bulge over his boxers, his cock twitching with the jolt of pleasure that shot through his body at the touch as he resisted the urge to curse out loud.

Kise’s hand stroked up and down his hardened length, before his fingers grabbed ahold of the head and stroked it gently with his thumb against the tip, and this time, Kaiba couldn’t bite back the groan.

With a smirk, Kise knelt so that his face was level with Kaiba’s hardened cock, and looked up to meet Kaiba’s piercing gaze, and didn’t look away as his hand freed his length from his boxers and gave a feather-like stroke that caused it to twitch. Kise didn’t even look away as he brought his mouth close enough to stick out his tongue and languidly lick from the base to the tip before taking the head into his mouth.

Kise moaned as his tongue swirled around the head, feeling hot at the thought that he was actually sucking off _the_ Seto Kaiba, even more so when Kaiba dug his fingers into his hair and pushed Kise’s head harder against his cock so that Kise’s eyes widened at the unexpected push.

Lucky for him, Kise had no gag reflex, so when Kaiba’s cock hit the back of his throat, instead of gagging, Kise just moaned louder and took Kaiba in deeper while sucking in his cheeks.

“Fuck…” Kaiba groaned at the feeling of Kise’s hot and wet mouth around him, surprised at how easily and how deep the blonde was able to take him in. Kaiba wasn’t exactly the smallest guy around, proving to him once again that this boy had more than one hidden talent.

Kaiba was entranced by the sight of a flushed Kise sucking him off, the way he bobbed his head up and down Kaiba’s cock eagerly and sloppily, saliva coating his length as Kise sucked and slurped with his mouth and tongue while his hand worked the base in a way that sent him into a haze of pleasure he hadn’t had in a while.

It had been far too long since he had been with another person, and it was taking more concentration than it normally would to keep from coming then and there as Kise did something interesting with his tongue that made him groan again as his hips twitched and thrust into Kise’s mouth eagerly.

The mischievous glint in Kise’s eyes made Kaiba frown as he grabbed Kise’s hair and stopped the movement of his head while pulling his hips away, causing Kise’s mouth to come free of his length with a pop and a gasp as saliva trailed down the corner of his lips.

Kaiba ignored the look of confusion on Kise’s face as he tugged him upwards, pleased when Kise took the hint as he rose from his kneeling position, only for Kaiba to push him backwards so that he fell onto the bed.

Not willing to let Kise get the upper hand, Kaiba reached towards Kise’s pants, undoing them easily.

Kise arched into Kaiba’s touch as he placed his hand on his abdomen, his hand slowly trailing down towards his undone pants, so that Kise tensed with anticipation as he prayed that Kaiba would stop teasing him and finally touch him where he was aching to be touched.

Kaiba took the time to admire the image of Kise’s tussled state as he lay on his back on his bed, lips parted as he panted lightly with need, his eyes half closed and full of lust, his obvious erection straining against his red boxers, the tip of his cock just slightly peeking out of the waistband of the material.

A light sheen of sweat reflected off his bare skin, and once more Kaiba had to admire the well-built athletic and defined body that belonged to the blonde. Most men Kaiba had been with were on the softer side, and he had to admit that Kise’s body appealed to him very much. He wasn’t overly muscular but defined enough that he exuded a strong air of masculinity that worked well against his pretty boy face.

Kaiba’s hand paused at the waistband of Kise’s boxers, and he caught Kise’s gaze as he grabbed ahold of both his pants and boxers and slowly pulled them down, letting his cock spring free and enjoying the way that Kise’s eyes darkened further and the way he bit his lip as he eagerly arched his hips up to make it easier for Kaiba to slip the clothing off.

Once the clothes were fully off, Kaiba also took off Kise’s socks, letting them fall to the floor carelessly as his hand grabbed a hold of one of Kise’s ankle, stroking at the skin there before continuing up Kise’s leg, letting his hands linger on both thighs as he once more settled between them.

He loved the feeling of Kise quivering underneath his fingers as he caressed his inner thighs, before lowering himself so he could place a kiss on the inside of them, looking up when he heard Kise’s breath hitch and his body arch up against him as he slowly laid out a trail of kisses up his thigh until he reached just next to his pelvic bone, purposely skirting around his erection.

“Kaibacchi!” he cried out wantonly, impatience clearly in his voice as one of his hands tried to dig itself into Kaiba’s hair.

Kaiba smirked against the skin of his thigh before pulling away and standing back up so that he could work on taking off his own pants and boxers completely, keeping his gaze on Kise as he lowered his pants and let them fall down his legs so that he was finally fully nude in front of him, but before Kise could do anything, Kaiba was already grabbing him by the hips, pulling him forward so that their hips were aligned once more with Kise’s legs on either side of him.

Kise gasped as Kaiba pulled him towards him, feeling another wave of anticipation tense his muscles at the proximity and lack of clothing between them. He could still taste Kaiba’s pre-cum on his tongue, and the thought of finally having Kaiba’s cock inside him made his own twitch.

Kise cried out when Kaiba’s hand finally closed around his aching cock, his back arching off the bed at the pleasure that shot up his spine.

“_Fuck_!” Kise moaned as he squirmed underneath Kaiba, who found himself enjoying this vocal side of Kise. The blonde was always vocal, but he found himself enjoying this kind a lot more.

Kaiba gave Kise’s cock a few light strokes, rubbing his thumb over the head to spread the drops of pre-cum already seeping from it, enjoying the way the blonde gasped and thrust up against his hand eagerly, and Kaiba knew he wouldn’t be able to hold himself back for much longer, and given Kise’s reaction to a light touch, meant he felt much the same.

He’d just have to take his time for the next round.

Not letting go of Kise’s length, Kaiba reached for the nightstand next to the bed and opened the drawer to pull out the small tube of lube in it. Kaiba never brought partners to his penthouse, but one could never be too prepared.

After all, here was a pretty blonde laid out flushed and gasping on his bed.

He saw Kise’s golden eyes stray to the bottle of lube and bit his lip as he tried to hold back another mewl of anticipation. Before even opening the bottle, Kaiba let go of Kise’s cock to teasingly stroke down the curve of his ass, causing the blonde to tense and shiver underneath him. Wanting to tease him just a bit more, Kaiba pressed his thumb against the pucker of his hole, pleased when another desperate cry left the pretty blonde.

“Do you want me to touch you here?” Kaiba asked as he pressed a little harder, and Kise arched against him.

“_Yes_, please Kaibacchi!” Kise practically hissed, and Kaiba smirked, before grabbing Kise’s hand and guiding it to his cock.

“Touch yourself, show me how you like it.”

Kise bit his lip at the throaty command, but slowly wrapped his hand around his still aching member to stroke himself at a comfortable pace. He didn’t want to come yet… but show him how he liked it? He wanted anything about now, but nothing as badly as Kaiba inside him. Hell, even his fingers inside him would do right about then.

As he closed his eyes and stroked himself and rode the pleasure and relief of it, he gasped at the feeling of the cold liquid lube being poured down his ass and moaned again when Kaiba spread it against his hole.

“Kaibacchi…” Kise gasped out loud as Kaiba added even more pressure against his hole, and tensed when he felt the tip of his finger begin to push into him, causing him to pause in his own stroking.

Kaiba frowned.

“Keep going or I’ll stop.”

Kise groaned but did as he was told, and continued to stroke himself, moaning when Kaiba continued to push in with his finger. The lube made it easier to accommodate and Kise gasped at the delicious feeling of being stretched as Kaiba began to slowly thrust the finger in and out, his mind going foggy with the haze of pleasure that assaulted him.

God, he hoped Kaiba wasn’t planning on making him come like this. He wanted to come with Kaiba’s cock inside him.

Kise was pleased when Kaiba didn’t wait long to add a second and third finger, and moaned even louder when he went deeper and curved his fingers inside his ass, causing his eyes to widen and his back to arch up as he cried out when he stroked his prostrate. Kise had to fight down his orgasm as he bit his lip and paused in his stroking.

“Kaibachi… please… I want you in me now…” Kise begged with a gasp.

Kaiba raised an eyebrow.

“You’re hardly prepped,” Kaiba said.

“It’s okay… I can handle it… just… _please_!”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at Kise’s plea, but his own cock twitched in response to his eagerness. If the blonde said he could handle it… Kaiba was curious to see if it was true.

“Very well.”

Kaiba took out his fingers and once more reached for the nightstand, quickly pulling out a condom from the drawer and taking it out of its packaging and swiftly rolling it on. He grabbed the bottle of lube to pour some more over his hardened member, giving it a few strokes to spread the liquid over its length, before looking at Kise’s figure before him.

The blonde was still flushed as he looked at him with lust in his golden eyes and bit his lip when his eyes strayed to his now slicked member. The sight of Kise was irresistable, the way his chest moved with his haggard breathing and the way the moonlight streaming in through the window illuminated his body. Tortuously, Kaiba spread Kise’s legs farther apart and positioned himself so that his cock was lined up with the slick and twitching hole.

Kaiba pressed his swollen head against his hole, and began pushing in, resisting the urge to close his eyes at the feeling of Kise clenching around his sensitive head as he grit his teeth and grunted, slowly pushing his way deeper into the blonde as he gasped and grasped the sheets underneath him.

Kaiba looked at Kise’s face and despite his brave words, didn’t miss the look of discomfort on his face as Kise’s hand moved to his mouth and he bit his knuckle. It gave Kaiba pause, not wanting to cause him pain, but Kise looked to him and met his gaze.

“It’s f-fine. Don’t stop Kaibacchi…”

Kaiba didn’t immediately move, choosing to run his hands up Kise’s abdomen and down again, enjoying the goosebumps that rose along his pale skin, until one of his hands moved to grasp Kise’s cock to stroke it, making him to gasp at the sensation. This time, as Kaiba continued to push in, he pumped Kise’s cock, watching the discomfort on his face turn to pleasure as he flushed and panted, and before long, Kaiba was fully sheathed inside the blonde.

Both men groaned as Kise’s head flew back and Kaiba gripped Kise’s hips tightly with both hands, pulling him as close as he possibly could.

After only a moment, and not able to hold himself back, Kaiba drew back only to push back in, and began a steadily increasing rhythm of his hips as he slid in and out of the blonde. Kise’s encouraging panting and moaning as he met his thrusts were one of the most erotic sounds Kaiba had ever heard and he couldn’t look away from the flushed and look of pleasure on his pretty face. If he had thought this boy was good-looking before… he was breathtaking now.

“Kaibacchi… so good…” Kise’s voice sounded in his ears and Kaiba couldn’t resist bending over to trail his hands up the blonde’s body, flicking his thumb over his nipples and enjoying the way the blonde closed his eyes and gripped the sheets tighter underneath him.

His tightness around him felt incredible and Kaiba already knew he wanted to have him in as many positions as he could tonight.

Wanting to hear more of his intoxicating sounds, Kaiba wrapped his hand around one of Kise’s knees and pulled him closer while he leaned his head down to lick and suck up the side of the blonde’s neck, pleased when Kise gasped and his arms moved to wrap themselves around Kaiba’s back and pulled him closer, his blunt nails digging into this skin.

Kaiba’s hips kept their rhythm and he could now feel Kise’s erection rubbing against his stomach as he thrusted in an out of him, making Kaiba groan at the feeling as he sucked harder on Kise’s skin and increased his pace and thrust harder into the younger man as Kise’s nails dug in deeper into his back.

“Kaibacchi… _harder_…”

“You’re insatiable…” Kaiba groaned against Kise’s neck.

“You feel so good,” Kise gasped back.

Kaiba felt a warmth rise in his chest at the words coming from the blonde, something he had never felt before with partners he slept with, and that warmth only increased when Kise turned his flushed face and nudged his face to turn to his, and he felt himself gravitate towards his lips as he kissed the blonde eagerly, their tongues once more finding each other with ease as they swirled against each other. Kaiba rarely kissed his partners during sex. He thought it unnecessary and it tended to turn him off instead of turn him on like Kise’s lips seemed to do to him.

Kaiba rolled his hips as he thrust into Kise, and Kise cried out and gasped when the new angle pressed perfectly against his prostate and sent a powerful wave of pleasure up his spine and straight to his cock.

“_Fuck_! Right there, again!” Kise moaned loudly against Kaiba’s lips that quirked up in amusement.

“A little demanding, aren’t you?” Kaiba teased, but nevertheless rolled his hips the same way to hit the spot again, causing Kise to arch and cry out against him.

“I know… what… I like…” Kise said between gasps.

Kaiba felt his pleasure building and reached to once more wrap his hand around Kise’s cock and squeezed it gently, before giving it a firm pump and watched in satisfaction as Kise’s eyes widened.

“N-no… Kaibacchi… I can’t… ahh!”

The blonde was cut off by a loud cry when Kaiba pumped his cock again, and he felt his ass tighten around him.

Kaiba began to thrust faster and harder against him, feeling himself get closer to his own orgasm as he pumped Kise’s cock and the blond shut his eyes tight as he arched his hips to meet Kaiba’s thrusts.

“Ngh… mmm… agh!”

Kaiba’s breathing came out as pants as he watched Kise lose himself to the overstimulation and lost his rhythm as he desperately thrusted into the blonde without abandon, their groans getting louder and mingling together.

“Kaibacchi…I’m gonna… I’m gonna…”

The feeling of Kaiba thrusting into him felt so incredibly good, he stretched him deliciously in a way he hadn’t been in a while and the way his cock rubbed against his prostate made him see stars with each of his thrusts. He could feel his orgasm building and he didn’t want to hold it back anymore. He ached for release at the hands of the man thrusting into him.

“Go ahead… cum for me… _Ryota_.”

Kise’s eyes widened at the last word he had expected from the brunette. The unexpected sound of his name from Kaiba’s lips was like a bolt of lightening from his chest to his cock that made him tense as Kaiba pumped him again and pressed against his prostate, and this time, Kise cried out in ecstasy as his mind went blank as his orgasm hit him like a ton of bricks, his balls tightening and the pleasure making his eyes lose focus as he felt his warm and wet cum land on his chest and stomach.

Kaiba watched the satisfying sight of Kise coming undone underneath him, the way he came in thick squirts and the way pleasure colored his face, the sound of his moan pushing him to the edge so that all it took was a few more thrusts to reach his own orgasm as he grabbed Kise’s hips and pulled him against him as he buried himself as deeply as he could into Kise, his muscles tightening as he came with a long and satisfied grunt of pleasure.

Both men panted for breath as they basked in the high of their orgasm, Kise going slack as he tried to catch his breath while Kaiba used his hands atop the mattress to hold himself up and slowly pull out of the blond, taking a moment to refocus his gaze before taking off the condom and tying it and throwing it away in the wastebasket next to the bed.

Mindful of Kise’s state, Kaiba reached for the second drawer on his nightstand, where he pulled out a small towel that he used to clean off Kise’s chest and stomach, and Kise smiled at the gesture as he lazily looked at Kaiba.

Once he was cleaned, Kaiba put the towel atop the nightstand, and watched as Kise sat up on the bed only to reposition himself so that he was laying on his side on the bed with his head on the pillow, before patting the empty side beside him as he smiled encouragingly.

Taking the hint, and with only a moment of hesitation, Kaiba relented as he laid down on his back on the empty spot beside Kise, one of his hands cradling the back of his head as he closed his eyes. He didn’t plan on sleeping, but he didn’t want to look at Kise just then.

He felt satisfied and sated, there was no doubt about that, but there was also some unease mixed into the post-coital high.

He tensed when he felt Kise scoot closer, his heat seeping into his skin as the blonde pressed himself up against Kaiba’s side before resting his hand atop his chest, his fingers lightly caressing the skin so that Kaiba had to resist the urge to shiver and said nothing.

Kaiba made it a point to never _cuddle_ after sex, even the word made his skin crawl. Even if he planned on several rounds, he usually occupied the time between by drinking or occupying himself some other way until he felt ready to go again. Yet he had found it too easy to lay down next to the blonde and wrap his free arm around him to draw him even closer.

_What are you doing to me… Kise Ryota?_

But he kept that thought to himself, even as he opened his eyes and turned his head to look at the blonde nestled against him. His golden orbs stared back at him, a warmth radiating from them that made Kaiba’s chest feel warmer, and the happy smile on his lips gave him an unexpected feeling of accomplishment.

Kaiba wasn’t a selfish lover, he always made sure his partner was left satisfied, but seeing Kise sated made him feel something else.

So, when the blonde leaned up to kiss him, a soft pressing of his lips against his, Kaiba felt his eyes flutter close as he relished the simple touch that managed to somehow ignite something fierce within him.

He suddenly felt protective of this man, protective in the way that he had felt the urge to say his name in the throes of passion to overwrite the way that so called priest had so easily spoken his name back in the afterlife. He wanted to replace that memory in Kise’s mind with _his_ voice, with his name coming from _him_.

“Thanks, Kaibacchi…that was… amazing…”

Kaiba stared into Kise’s eyes, before smirking as he slowly leaned over him so that their faces were only a breath apart.

“If you think we’re done for the night… you’re sadly mistaken.”

Kise blinked, but the blonde once more surprised him when he laughed lightly and wrapped his arms around his neck as he smirked up at him.

“I wouldn’t expect anything less… but next… I want to ride you…”


	27. Reflection

Kaiba was awake when the sun started peeking over the horizon and through the gaps between the building of his city. He had managed only a few hours of sleep the previous night, and once again, the blonde had surprised him by managing another three rounds of sex before they were both too spent to continue.

He had left the blonde soundly asleep in his bed and had gone down to the living room area to welcome the morning light and gather his thoughts.

And of course, they revolved around Kise, about having given into his attraction to the younger man and not knowing where to go from there.

He had accepted Kise as someone he would trust, someone to even call a friend, despite his every instinct against it.

Did adding a physical component change the dynamics of their friendship?

Those he chose to sleep with he did so with the intention of never seeing them again, but he couldn’t do that to Kise, right?

He was by far the least knowledgeable at what made a friendship, but he did know that he had only gotten a taste of Kise, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to leave it a one-time thing.

As he closed his eyes from where he sat on his living room sofa where he had spent the night, he could still picture Kise’s disheveled state and could remember the way he had tasted against his lips, the feel of their tongues as they sought each other out. 

He was being an idiot, overthinking the whole thing.

Kise wanted him as much as he wanted him, that much was obvious, and he would be an idiot to turn down a sure thing.

Satisfied with his decision, Kaiba got up from the couch, and walked to retrieve his laptop to get some work done. He imagined it would be a while before Kise woke up, and he knew there was no more sleeping to be done on his part.

He might as well be productive until his _friend_ woke up.

* * *

Six hours later, Kaiba had already showered, changed into a fresh set of clothes, and eaten breakfast.

It was almost noon, and Kise was still asleep.

Kaiba had half a mind to wake up the blonde himself. It was getting late and while Kaiba didn’t particularly have anything he had to do, he wasn’t sure if Kise did.

He had left his phone on the kitchen island, and it had been ringing almost nonstop for the past hour.

Kaiba had done his best to ignore it, but after the insistent ringing, Kaiba decided he had enough of the loud vibration and obviously whoever was trying to reach Kise was not giving up anytime soon.

Putting down his water with more annoyance than he meant, he turned towards the sound of the latest series of vibrations against his marble counter and looked at the screen for the first time.

The name of the caller read ‘Aominecchi’ and Kaiba knew it was none other than the blue-haired basketball player he had met on several occasions now, not to mention, he could still remember the last look of distrust he had given him at their last encounter.

He probably shouldn’t answer, considering Kise’s friend would probably take it the wrong way if his immediate dislike for him said anything, but another part of him _wanted _to upset the blue-haired man. Something about his closeness to Kise didn’t sit well with Kaiba, and a large part of him wanted to push his buttons, just because he could.

With a smirk playing on his lips, Kaiba slid the green button to answer the call.

He didn’t say anything, and there was a moment of silence before the man on the other line realized the call wasn’t going to voicemail.

“Hello? Kise? What the hell! Where are you? We’ve been waiting for over an hour! Why haven’t you answered us?” the angry voice on the other end was memorable, and exactly who Kaiba had thought it would be.

“Kise’s asleep right now. I’ll let him know you called when he wakes up,” Kaiba replied leisurely.

“What the hell—” Kaiba heard in reply, and his smirk only widened at what he imagined must have been a dumbfounded look on the other man’s face.

“Who's this? Why are you answering Kise’s phone?” his questions were practically a growl against Kaiba’s ears, but since it was the desired response, it only pleased Kaiba.

“He’s currently unable to answer, and considering you’ve been calling nonstop for the past hour, I decided to answer for him so you wouldn’t worry.”

“Wait… aren’t you… that one guy who came looking for him at the court?”

Well, look at that, perhaps the blue haired man was smarter than he looked.

“Perhaps, but does it matter? I assure you Kise is safe and sound.”

A silence stretched for a moment, and Kaiba wondered if the other man had hung up, but before long he spoke once more.

“Just have him call me back when he wakes up.”

Kaiba could tell the man wasn’t happy, his voice a low growl, and he didn’t wait for a confirmation before hanging up abruptly.

The fact that he had been more upset to hear from him rather than relieved that Kise was safe or simply confused spoke volumes.

Just what kind of relationship did this man have with Kise? Remembering how he had gone to watch his game to make sure that the other player wouldn’t try anything against Kise, and remembering their interactions during the game they played together, Kaiba wondered if it was too farfetched to think there was something more than friendship between the two.

* * *

Kise felt as if he was coming out of a dense fog, his mind groggy after a dreamless sleep, and his eyelids felt like lead as he tried to open them as he eased out of his deep sleep. Once his mind was awake, Kise found that his body felt heavy, like it often did the day after a particularly hard training session.

His fingers twitched slightly, but Kise felt no urge to move any more than he had to.

“Are you finally awake?”

The familiar voice that broke through the fog and made his heart skip a beat was a reminder that felt like an avalanche of the happenings of the previous day and just where he was. Flashes of memories from the park, to the afterlife, to the lips that had kissed him and finally some of the best sex Kise had ever had, coursed through his mind and if it weren’t for the heaviness of his body caused him to sit up abruptly.

His eyes took in the sight of Kaiba sitting on the edge of the bed beside him. The sight of the brunette man made his heart beat faster and warmth flood his body as his fingers unconsciously twitched.

“What time is it?”

It wasn’t until he said that sentence out loud that Kise felt as if he had truly come back to reality, and even then, so much still felt surreal. It felt easier to believe that the memories of the previous day had been a dream instead of reality, but the ache of his bottom was all he needed to know that it had been real.

“Its past noon.”

Kise’s eyes widened.

“What?! You’re kidding! I never sleep past noon!”

Kise couldn’t remember the last time he slept in so late. Even on late nights he had never woken up so late.

Kaiba didn’t reply, and instead Kise was surprised to see him toss his phone onto his lap gently.

“Your phone’s been ringing for a while. You should call them back.”

Kise looked at his phone with surprise as Kaiba got up and walked out of the room before reaching for it.

Shit.

Most of them were from Aomine, Kagami, and Kuroko. He had forgotten they had set up another game that weekend.

He also had some from Anami and Kise grimaced, remembering she had been expecting a message telling her he had made it home okay.

He sent a quick text to Anami first, telling her he stayed the night and an apology for not texting her about it.

He didn’t really want to call his friends, so he just sent a quick group text explaining he forgot about the game and wouldn’t be able to make it. He didn’t particularly want to give them the details that he was in a different city altogether with the man that didn’t make a good first impression with them. It wasn’t exactly the first time he had cancelled a game anyway.

He was surprised when only a moment later his phone began to ring and Aomine’s name flashed on the screen, and with a blink and the familiar patter of his chest when Aomine called, Kise picked up.

“Hey Aominecchi, did you get my text?” Kise answered softly, hoping that Kaiba wouldn’t walk in during their conversation. He wasn’t sure why he felt the need to talk softly, but then again it was sure to do with the fact he was speaking to his ex-boyfriend while in the penthouse of the guy he was currently crushing on had just had sex with the night before. The thought made him flush as he peeked over to the still open door to make sure Kaiba wasn’t nearby.

“Yeah… I just wanted to make sure you’re okay,” Kise felt his heart skip a beat and a familiar warmth in his chest at Aomine’s voice, his tone was gentler than usual, with what he recognized as his embarrassed to be concerned voice which had always touched Kise deeply in the past.

“Oh, well that’s nice of you. But yeah I’m okay, just slept in and it’s too late to go now so…” Kise trailed off, hoping that he wouldn’t have to say more since he hadn’t thought up a good enough explanation to hide the truth.

There was a pause from Aomine’s end, and Kise was about to ask who had won the game when the other man cut in.

“Can I come over later?”

Kise’s eyes widened and his grip on the phone in his hand tightened.

“Oh… you want to come over t-today?” he couldn’t hide the surprise in his voice at the unexpected question.

“Yeah… I have nothing else going on and… it’d be nice to see you.”

Kise felt his throat go dry as he let Aomine’s words sink in, a myriad of emotions coursing through his system. Aside from the shock of his statement and what felt like a swarm of butterflies in his stomach, Kise felt a moment of panic at the question as his mind raced through an answer.

“Oh… well, um, actually I don’t think today is a good day. I have a lot of homework to catch up on…”

Kise winced at his excuse, aware that Aomine of all people knew that Kise could care less about doing homework as long as he was passing a class. The two of them had never been exactly good at keeping up with homework and just barely got through. He expected him to call him out on his lie, and another moment of silence passed by.

The truth was, Kise wasn’t exactly sure when he would get home by, and unless he left immediately, it would be past a reasonable hour to have someone over. Not to mention… Aomine’s more recent actions had certainly confused him. And he had too much to think about when he went back home to add yet another thing to that long list.

“Ah… I see. Well maybe next time you’re free?” Aomine sounded disappointed, and Kise immediately felt guilty but still oddly pleased that Aomine was seeking him out.

“Yeah… I’ll let you know when I’m free this week,” despite himself, Kise felt a smile form on his lips.

“I’ll text you later then…and let you get to your homework.”

Once more Kise felt guilt clinch his stomach.

“Yeah okay… I’ll talk to you later Aominecchi.”

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Kise was freshly showered and dressed in yet another set of Kaiba’s clothes. Kise had smiled when he had seen the pair of pants and plain black shirt laid out on the bed when he had come in after the shower, even though Kaiba was nowhere in sight.

While he still felt fatigued and sluggish, nothing like a refreshing shower to make Kise feel ready to take on the real world again. As soon as he had exited the shower the smell of food wafted up to him, the delicious aroma making his stomach growl and reminded him that he hadn’t had breakfast.

As he climbed down the stairs, he took the time to admire the view of the city in the daytime from Kaiba’s penthouse large windows, the sky was clear and blue where it peaked in from between the buildings, and the sun shone brightly as it reflected off the windows. It was a view Kise couldn’t say he had ever seen before, and although nothing would come close to the view of Earth from outer space, it was amazing it its own way.

What a sight to walk out into. It never seized to amaze him the lifestyle that Kaiba had. It was something Kise could get used to… maybe something to work towards. After all… he had the potential to be a king, didn’t he?

With a grin, Kise finally made his way down the stairs and towards the kitchen, where he could already make out Kaiba’s figure sitting on a stool at the island where food was laid out along the countertop. The smell of the food got stronger as he approached, and his mouth watered at the sight once he reached the kitchen and spread.

There was a chair pulled up to the island where the food was laid out, and Kise sat down across Kaiba who was already eating from the plate in front of him, the ache he felt as he sat only a pleasant reminder of the night before. It looked like his own plate had already been put together, but something told Kise it must have been done by whoever brought the food rather than Kaiba.

Like every time Kise had eaten with Kaiba, the food was impressive. Salad, meat, potatoes, sushi… Kaiba truly never did anything simple. Still, Kise wasn’t going to let a good meal pass by.

“This looks great Kaibacchi! Itadakimasu!” Kise said aloud as he dug into the food as fast he could.

Kaiba watched with mild amusement as Kise ate earnestly as he practically shoveled food into his mouth.

“You know… my manager would kill me if she knew what you fed me…” Kise said after slowing down take a drink of his water, remembering all the meals that Kaiba had gotten for him.

At this, Kaiba couldn’t help the smirk at the blonde’s choice of words as he raised an eyebrow.

“You say that as if you’re a stray puppy to be taken care of,” Kaiba replied, enjoying the way that Kise colored slightly.

He was surprised however, when Kise grinned at him with a glint in his eyes.

“Well… I guess I wouldn’t mind as long as you took good care of me…”

This boy really would be the end of him…but Kaiba wasn’t one to be outdone.

“Oh? Should I start calling you Goldie?” Kaiba replied, remembering it wasn’t the first time that he thought Kise looked like a golden retriever, especially when he was excited.

“Only if you get me a custom collar,” Kise answered with a wink.

“Hn. That’s something you’ll have to earn.”

Kise grinned as he kept his gaze on Kaiba’s face, a warm feeling rising in his chest.

“You’re really something else Kaibacchi… you know that?”

Kise felt Kaiba’s gaze fix on him skeptically, before closing his eyes.

“Of course I am. I’m the CEO of the top gaming company in the country.”

Kise’s grin widened at the confidence by Kaiba. While he was used to confident people like the himself and the rest of the Generation of Miracles, it was a quality he admired unlike a lot of people.

“Well, you’re a lot more than that, Kaibacchi. Everything you told me about yesterday… and everything you made possible… it really is amazing. I’ve known some amazing people, but I don’t think anyone comes close to what you’ve gone through and everything you’ve done.”

There he went again… speaking earnestly in a way no one besides his little brother had ever done. Kaiba looked into Kise’s golden eyes that were filled with admiration and warmth and tried to ignore the twinge in the pit of his stomach at the sight.

“If you’re trying to make me blush… it’s not going to work,” Kaiba replied gruffly, but Kise only smiled wider.

“You know… while I was in the shower… I was going over everything that you showed me yesterday… going to the afterlife… meeting the Pharaoh… meeting your past self… and finding out about my past life…”

Kaiba watched as Kise became somber, the warmth in his eyes dulling as they became unfocused as if he was now lost in thought, his gaze now looking up at an empty spot in the ceiling as he leaned back in the chair and let the utensils fall onto the now forgotten plate.

“It’s honestly a lot to take in… even though I’ve never been one to really care about religion and beliefs… what’s truth or finding a deeper meaning to life or any of that philosophical stuff. But surprisingly enough… finding out that magic exists and reincarnation is real isn’t so hard to accept when experiencing it first-hand…thanks to your technology. And as awesome as that is… it doesn’t really change how I approach life… I’m not ambitious enough to seek out magic, not really. Maybe it would be different in a world where more people could wield magic… and it was a matter of skill over possession. But this isn’t a world of magic, and having it would just feel like cheating. And as you know… I would never sink so low.”

Kaiba remained silent, simply watching as Kise spoke aloud, curious as to where his train of thought was going.

“Maybe someone more righteous would see it as a way to make a difference in the world… but I’m a far simpler guy than that… I do what makes me happy and fulfills me on a whim most of the time. I’ve never cared to think of how I can help society or make a positive impact on the world. All I’ve ever cared for is to find excitement in life and be happy. I guess that makes me kind of selfish, huh?”

Kaiba didn’t answer, knowing that Kise wasn’t really asking him. What surprised him however, was when Kise suddenly laughed. It was the kind of laugh one did when hearing a joke.

“But to find out there is a version of myself that existed and was one of the of most famous Kings? So unbeatable that he made the Gods feel the need to create another being to defeat him? And still he won? I find that the most unbelievable…when here I am, unable to beat a few really good high school basketball players and win a simple championship. It truly is pathetic…”

Kaiba was about to speak and berate the blonde on the idiotic words that were coming out of his mouth, but stopped when he saw Kise’s eyes change once more, this time brightening with a look of fierce determination that confused him.

“And I refuse to be the failure in whatever versions of me there have been and will ever be…if anything… I feel more fired up than ever before. I will not lose again. And that includes to you, Kaibacchi.”

Seeing his honest resolve, Kaiba smirked.

This kid really was something else… His reaction was not at all what he expected from someone given the information and firsthand experience that he had… anyone else would be left in shock or in denial(much like he had been), but this kid had accepted it as easily as someone accepting unusual weather in the forecast. His honest assessment of himself as a selfish person and being unashamed of it was also refreshing, considering he was often criticized for his own methods by mightier-than-thou people like Yugi and his friends. His morality was always questioned, as if he owed anything to the world simply because he was at the right(or wrong) place at the time.

But Kise had never once judged him on those standards, and he could now understand why. Kise judged someone simply by what they had to offer him as far as a challenge and entertainment in his life. He found that to be more honest and interesting than most people’s motives.

“Hn. Is that so?” Kaiba challenged, folding his fingers in front of him as he met Kise’s determined gaze, “Tell you what, we’ll have our rematch. But only if you can win your basketball championship first. Prove your words on the court, and only then will I give you the rematch you want so badly. After all… you have to do your part in my Duel Monsters Campaign first, and you’ll have plenty of practice during that time.”

Kise’s grin widened as Kaiba brought up his part in his upcoming campaign.

“You know… I’m actually really excited for that. I’m looking forward to dressing up as a Duel Monster and going up against duelists. Props to whoever got that idea…”

“Indeed, this campaign combines the nostalgia of past tournaments with modern flair. In this case, collecting the required amount of Gems by defeating other duelists will allow a duelist to participate in the grand tournament, while for added flair, the models with a talent for dueling such as yourself, will bring some of the favorite duel monsters to life and provide special rewards.”

Kise grinned, remembering how excited he had been when first hearing of the plans when meeting with Kaiba’s employees on the matter. He had once dreamed of participating in a grand Duel Monsters tournament, and now he had the chance to be much more. But still…

“Any way I can do my job and still collect Gems to participate in the main event?” Kise asked.

After all… what was the point of being in a tournament if he couldn’t duel for the chance to be at the top? If he couldn’t duel against the people he had only dreamed of going up against?

Kaiba smirked.

“Of course… so long as you defeat duelists worth the amount of the needed gems, all models will be able to participate in the tournament for the grand prize.”

Kise only felt his excitement grow at the desired answer.

“Perfect. When do you think they’ll let me know what monster card I’ll be representing?”

Kaiba raised an eyebrow at all of Kise’s questions, had his team told him nothing? Then again, those details were still a little way from being finalized.

“That’s up to the costume and design team. I believe they will be gathering data and polls to see which monster cards are the favorite among fans, and will assign them as they deem best. Considering that we will be going public with the news this week, the team will have less than a month to finalize the plans and another month to execute them. If they know what’s good for them, they’ll have everything done ahead of time.”

Kise grimaced at the truth of how close the campaign truly was.

“It feels like its going to happen all so fast after its announcement… don’t you want to build it up like other campaigns?”

Kaiba frowned.

“KaibaCorp doesn’t do things ‘like others’, and I’m not one to drag things out. I strike fast and hard where it counts. Overnight, everyone that matters will know of our campaign, and they will come when I say to come. Focus on your part and let me do what I do best as CEO of my company. I promise, you won’t be short of worthy opponents.”

Kise grinned at the confidence in Kaiba’s voice.

“Well… I guess I can’t argue against that, can I?”

“I’d advise against it.”

Kise laughed and looked back to his food, his appetite almost forgotten.

“So… how about you tell me more about you and the Pharaoh’s adventures before I have to go back home?”

Kaiba sighed.

“Aren’t you tired of ancient history?”

“When it comes to you? Never.”

And even as Kaiba set his scrutinizing gaze in Kise’s direction, Kise never felt the urge to look away.

* * *

Kise had left hours ago, on one of the last trains that would get him home at a reasonable hour. Kaiba was surprised that he had told him as much as he had when it came to his duel monster adventures with the Pharaoh. He got through the entire story of his first duel with Yugi and the events that led to Duelist Kingdom and part of the events of Battle City when he was first told of his connection to his ancient past.

Kise had listened intently and asked plenty of questions to keep his tale going, but never once had Kaiba felt annoyed with the blonde.

He still found it odd how easy talking about his past came when it was to him. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that he had already told him so much of his personal history that he had told no one before, so what was telling him about his duel monsters past compared to his messed-up childhood?

Not to mention…

_Kise had already gathered his things and his driver was waiting in the parking lot to take Kise to the train station, and Kaiba had walked him to the elevator door that would take him down._

_ “Thanks again for everything Kaibacchi… I hope we can hang out again soon so you can finish telling me about Battle City, and I hope you know you have an open invitation to visit me anytime if you’re ever feeling lonely.”_

_At this, Kaiba scoffed, and Kise laughed. _

_“And not to mention…” _

_Kaiba felt himself tense at the change in tone of Kise’s voice, the now familiar way that it became softer and seductive as he watched his eyes darken to that enticing molten gold._

_“Don’t think I’ll forget about what we started last night…”_

_Kaiba knew what Kise was going to do next, but he did nothing to stop it as Kise closed the distance between them by wrapping his arms around his neck to bring his face closer and pressed his lips against his. _

_The blonde tasted just as Kaiba remembered from the previous night, and he found himself easily returning the kiss, grasping Kise’s hips and pushing him up against the closed elevator door behind him, deepening the kiss and quickly taking control and urging his tongue against Kise’s waiting mouth, where his warm and moist tongue eagerly met his once it opened to let him in and a heady moan sounded in Kaiba’s ears from the younger man. _

_Kaiba pulled away before the kiss became too intense to break away from and basked in the flushed look of the blonde against him and the lust in his eyes. He swiped his thumb slowly against Kise’s bottom lip, pleased with the shiver he felt from the blonde at the contact. _

_“I’d be offended if you did…”_

Kaiba never slept with the same person twice, and for the first time, he was already craving someone he had just had the previous night.

Were it not for the fact that he had to prepare for a big announcement to make for the upcoming week, he was sure he would be willing to take up the blonde on his offer to visit him.

But as always, work was his priority, and pretty blondes would have to wait just a little longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for making you guys wait so long for their eventual get-together! But I really wanted to address the age issue because no matter how mature and close to "legal" someone is, waiting for the age of 18 is just important for the principle of the matter and I stand by that! Even in fanfiction, I want to write what I agree with. Plus it gave them more time to work on their friendship before anything. The next few chapters I call the 'Bonding Arc' in my outline, and I'm so excited to take these nerds on an emotional roller coaster and have Kaiba deal with his emotional constipation. With plenty of naughty stuff of course hehe.


	28. Duel Links

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *SCREAMING*  
GUYS!!! OMFG!  
So Studio CloverWorks just launched the Fate/Grand Order Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia anime series.  
It's on Funimation and its basically the Babylonia chapter in FGO, so if you're interested you get to meet Caster Gilgamesh and Enkidu! It might be confusing if you don't know Grand Order but you can watch Fate/Grand Order -First Order- if you want a little more background. It might add a little more depth to this fic if you feel the connection to those characters like I do, and the fighting sequences look very promising.  
I geeked so hard yesterday watching the first two episodes. There will be 21 episodes in all and I couldn't be more excited. Talk about perfect timing while writing this fic!

Kise was lost in thought as he stared out the window of his apartment.

It had been exactly a week since his adventure to Domino, space, and the afterlife, and coming back to reality to his life as a high school student and basketball player seemed truly dull in comparison. Basketball had been going well, the Inter-High was fast approaching, and his team was practicing hard to prepare for it, and Kise wasn’t an exception. He had stayed true to his claim and had been practicing harder than ever, and his teammates had noticed, and been motivated to work just as hard. They had two games against schools in their district and had practically crushed them, which was what they needed to do if they hoped to stand a chance against the other powerhouses.

He had hoped he could see Kaiba this weekend, but the CEO was fully immersed in preparation of going live with the announcement of his new tournament. He had tried to get more details out of the brunette, but Kaiba just told Kise he had to wait like everyone else.

Kise smiled as he thought back to what had happened between them after everything else. He had actually slept with _the _Seto Kaiba... something he would have never imagined possible. And it was everything he could have possibly hoped for and more. Kaiba was just as skilled in that department as he was with anything else, and Kise had not been disappointed in the slightest.

Now, he had a free weekend, and for the first time in a while, Kise didn’t have anything planned. He had already gone out on his morning run, a longer one than usual followed by another workout at a nearby park. He had showered, changed, and had breakfast.

Kise was the kind of person that liked to stay occupied, and days when he had nothing planned made him feel restless when others welcomed a lazy day.

Should he call up someone to hang out? Go shopping? Practice basketball with some teammates?

Come to think of it, he had told Aomine he would call him when he had time to hang out, and wasn’t that exactly what he had time for today?

A part of him felt uneasy at the thought, considering how confusing Aomine had been lately, but he was still someone Kise treasured and considered a friend.

Then, the solution was to invite Momoi along too, right?

With that in mind, Kise sent a group text to the duo and waited.

* * *

As it turned out, both Aomine and Momoi were free to hang out, and the three agreed on a much-needed shopping trip, and since Tokyo had the best shopping districts, Kise didn’t mind making the trip.

Which was how Kise found himself amidst the usual crowd of weekend shoppers and tourists in the Ginza district, dressed in a comfortable and stylish attire with a hat and sunglasses to hide his face. It was usually easier to go unrecognized in the busier districts but at this point, it was a habit more than anything.

The three met up at the usual meet-up point in a small coffee place, and it was hard to miss Momoi’s pink hair and Aomine’s tall figure even from the window outside.

When he entered, Momoi saw him first, and smiled and waived in his direction.

“Yo!” Kise greeted as he stopped short of them.

“Kichan! Glad you made it. Do you want anything to drink before we head out?”

Kise looked at the cold drink in her hand and debated, but decided against it.

“Nah, I’m okay for now. How about you Aominecchi?”

Aomine just shook his head as he stood with his hands in his pockets, and Kise wondered if he was upset since he looked more somber than usual.

“Alright let’s go! How have you guys been?” Kise asked as he led the way out and down the familiar street that would take them to their favorite stores. They had already talked about what they were looking to get, and the three had taken enough trips to know which stores would have just what they needed.

“Oh you know, same old same old. School, college preparations, basketball...” Momoi replied with her usual cheery self.

“Yeah, come to think of it, did you finally decide what college you wanted to go to Momocchi?”

Kise remembered Momoi mentioning that she was interested in a business career, since she was so good with data and predictions, there was no doubt she would be a valuable asset to any prominent company.

“Well to be honest... I’m still torn. I know Keio University is the best business school in Japan... but I kind of want to go somewhere farther from home for a change of scenery.”

“Neh, you want to leave us that bad Momocchi?!” Kise whined as he gave her a pointed look she couldn’t even see due to his sunglasses, to which the pink-haired girl just waved a hand in dismissal.

“Kichan, you know it's not like that! Besides, everyone’s going to go their separate ways for college, and it feels like such a big step that I should go all or nothing,” she said with a look of determination.

Kise had to smile, even though the reminder of college and the big decisions looming over them was still a disconcerting thought.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right... everyone has big decisions to make about the future... it’s kind of scary, isn’t it?”

There was a moment of quiet contemplation that settled over them despite the bustling of the city around them, and Kise felt guilty for dampening the mood.

“Sorry! Didn’t mean to ruin the mood!” Kise amended.

Momoi giggled and Aomine sighed audibly.

“It’s fine dork...” Aomine finally spoke up, nudging Kise with his elbow, “It _is _a little scary.”

This time, Kise blinked in shock at the darker man.

“Eh?! Even _you’re_ scared Aominecchi? But why? You have the best opportunity to be drafted into the NBA! You’ve already had scouts and everything!”

“Yeah sure, you make it sound simple. But it’s... just different...” Aomine grumbled.

“I think what Daichan is trying to say is that he’s nervous he might not measure up to the skill of NBA players...right Daichan?” Momoi said gently, and Kise blinked as he watched Aomine frown and flush in embarrassment, which always meant Momoi had nailed it.

“Tch... I guess... I mean. High school is one thing, you know? It’s just school kids in Japan. But the NBA is on a different level... with players from all around the world, and seasoned and talented players. And if I do get in... then I have to go to somewhere in the Americas... and you know I’m terrible with foreign languages!”

Kise watched Aomine in wonderment, surprised his longtime rival, ex-lover, and the man he had always admired to be so transparent about his feelings. Aomine had always seemed like a rock at handling the future, the kind of guy that would face it head on no matter what. There were very few times when Kise had seen his more vulnerable side, but each time he did... it was reassuring. To know that someone so strong could still be afraid. It reminded him that his own fears weren’t unfounded or something to be embarrassed by.

Feeling particularly affectionate, Kise smiled and leaned against Aomine reassuringly.

“If anyone has what it takes, it's you Aominecchi, you’ll figure it out,” Kise said.

Aomine flushed deeper, and looked away, but Kise felt himself smile when he noticed the other man also pressed up against him.

“Look who's talking. Aren’t you the one with the most prospects here? You have just as many scouts as me, and you have your modeling career.”

Kise smiled at the reminder of his situation.

“Yeah... you’d think so huh? But I already know I don’t want to pursue basketball professionally, and I’m not sure how stable modeling will be in the long term. I want to still go to college for an education to fall back onto if something happens. But I have no idea what that should be. Everything stable sounds so _boring_, I don’t want an office job, and I’m not sure I have the brains for high-tech stuff. And with college deadlines right around the corner, I feel I should have it figured out already, but I don’t. Should I just go to school on a basketball scholarship? Should I take some time off to find out what I really want to do with my life? Would either of them be a waste of time? I guess that’s what scares me. What if I choose something and it turns out to be the wrong choice?”

Kise didn’t tell them about his personal goals of finally defeating the other schools to claim a championship for Kaijo, about the feelings of inadequacy that he had held in for so long, but was finally ready to overcome. That was too heavy, even for their current conversation.

“Well... I can’t look at the future to tell you what to do. But I can tell you that basketball wouldn’t be the same without you. Even if it was just at the college level... I wouldn’t mind a few more years of playing against you.”

Aomine’s reply was sincere, and Kise felt heat pool in his cheeks as he looked down at the ground.

“T-thanks Aominecchi. Believe it or not... that helps,” this time, Kise smiled and met Aomine’s blue gaze.

Momoi smiled as she watched their interaction silently, happy to see the two have a genuine moment.

“Yeah, whatever. Isn’t this the store you want to look for dresses in Satsuki?” Aomine said as he stopped in front of a frilly and brightly pink decorated store.

The squeal of excitement from the young woman was all the two boys needed to know that indeed it was.

* * *

Three hours later, they all had what they had set out to buy. Aomine a new pair of limited-edition shoes and some new idol magazines, Kise also a new pair of shoes for basketball and another pair of dress-shoes. Not to mention, now that he was going to be working for KaibaCorp, also bought himself a new cologne as a treat. Yet both boys were carrying extra bags as Momoi paid for her latest purchase.

“Satsuki, this better be the last store, I’m done carrying your crap!”

“It’s not crap Daichan!” Momoi replied angrily as she led the way out of the store.

“How can you even afford all this shit?” Aomine said gruffly, “Did you suddenly get a part time job?”

Kise laughed as he watched Momoi huff in indignation and glare at her longtime best friend.

“For your information, I don’t spend my money carelessly like _some _people, and I still have birthday money! I need new outfits for a certain event coming up, and I want to look my best!” the pink-haired woman replied and Aomine grumbled inaudibly.

“Why don’t we go get some food and drinks guys?” Kise suggested, knowing that this was the usual behavior between the two.

“Yeah, I’m starving after watching Satsuki try on a million outfits,” Aomine replied, and this time Momoi just huffed.

“Well Momocchi, I had fun helping you choose your outfits,” Kise said, both to appease her and because it was the truth. Kise prided himself in his sense of fashion, and he liked helping others with their choices, and it was rare when he helped girls that weren’t his sisters.

Momoi smiled brightly at him.

“And I appreciate you Kichan! A guy whose fashion taste I can trust!”

This time, it was Aomine that huffed.

“Well maybe you should go shopping with _girls _instead of always asking _me_.”

“Arg! _Daichan_! Why do you have to make everything about you?!”

“What are you fucking talking about? This is about _you _and _your_ shopping habits!”

Kise sighed as the two began another banter, knowing better than to get involved this time, and simply led the way to the food district of Ginza. Knowing them, they would keep it up till they ordered their food.

Just as they rounded the corner however, the sound of screams and horns of cars piercing the air broke through the sounds of the crowds and traffic and made them all freeze as their gaze traveled in the direction of where the commotion was coming from.

Their eyes widened as they took in the sight of dragons flying in the sky and monsters on the ground.

“What the hell is that!”

“Are those dragons?”

“Monsters!”

“Where’s the police!”

“Should we run?!”

“Mommy look! A real dragon!”

“Is this for real?!”

The sound of both shocked and scared voices filled the air as people stood frozen in shock, fear, and wonder. Traffic came to a stop, and the vehicles stopped honking as everyone stopped to take in the sight before them.

Kise might have been scared too if he didn’t immediately recognize the dragons and monsters, but the shock of what he was seeing remained. They looked even more real than when they were contained in a room, flying in the real world and trotting through the streets. Some people had their phones pointed at the monsters in what Kise knew was to catch them on video.

Ancient Dragon, Curse of Dragon, Speed Bird, Berfomet, among other Duel Monsters roared as they flew through the sky and stood atop of building and on the streets.

Before panic could break out however, the monsters began to glow a bright silver light, before they broke into particles that floated up higher into the sky, and formed together to create a monster Kise had seen only once, just a few months ago, the monster that caused his defeat at the hands of the one and only Seto Kaiba.

Deep-Eyes White Dragon.

And as the larger than life monster let out a mighty roar, the crowds beneath it gasped in awe as it completely enraptured them.

So that when the creature dipped its head as if bowing in greeting, all eyes were on it when the halo-like structure on its back began to glow, and within it, a familiar figure appeared wearing his trademark white coat that flared behind him. The man looked as real as the monster his figure stood atop of, and Kise wondered if Kaiba had found a way to transport himself there, or if he was just another hologram.

On top of that, large screens appeared around them that showed a close up of Kaiba’s face, so that his facial expressions could be easily seen as he spoke.

“Greetings, people of the world, my name is Seto Kaiba, CEO of KaibaCorp.”

Kaiba’s voice was loudly broadcasted from all around, making it hard to figure out just exactly where the sound was coming from, but loud and clear as day. People were now murmuring, and more phones were taken out at the appearance of the brunette, people now sure that the monsters before them had not been real.

“What you have just witnessed is the power of KaibaCorp’s holographic technology, the reason my company is the number one gaming company in this country. Those of you who remember the origins of my company would remember how it began almost ten years ago… with the game known as Duel Monsters. Many of you knew the game as a simple card game, and with great effort collected your cards and played them on simple mats. It wasn’t until KaibaCorp came along that it became more than a simple card game… through our technology… your favorite cards could be rendered into the world!”

At this point of his speech, a few more monsters appeared, classic monsters like Dark Magician Girl and Dark Magician, Kuribo, Celtic Guardian, Harpy Lady, Summoned Skull, Mystic Elf. They floated over the crowd and smiled and waved, and many of the younger spectators wowed and waved back while those that recognized the creatures called out their names.

“I’m here to announce to you that KaibaCorp will be hosting a tournament of the likes never seen before, to not only revive Duel Monsters to its former glory, but to elevate it to a new level! Because the stage of this tournament will not be an island, nor my city, nor the Kaiba Land Parks, not even a stadium. The stage of this tournament… is the world!”

The murmurs of the crowd increased at Kaiba’s grand claim, and Kise blinked as he tried to figure out what Kaiba meant by that. He knew his part in the campaign, but just what did Kaiba mean by the world being the stage?

“You heard correctly… the _world_! Duelists from all over the world will be able to participate and duel against each other… without leaving the comfort of your city…or even your own home. Remember its name! Duel Links! Through Duel Links…participants will be able to use KaibaCorp technology to project themselves onto the grand stage… and experience the future of gaming! In two months’ time, those who participate will be known as pioneers in what is to come, in what will revolutionize gaming as we know it. Consider this my invitation to you all… will you accept it?”

With a final smirk, Kaiba’s figure turned his back on the crowd, his coat flaring behind him as the halo structure on Deep-Eyes once more glowed and Kaiba disappeared into it, giving the illusion that Kaiba had stepped into a portal that took him back where he came from, and despite himself, Kise was tempted to believe it.

Once Kaiba was gone, Deep-Eyes let out another mighty roar that shook through the city, before flying upwards into the sky. The monsters that remained above the crowd gave a final wave and goodbye’s, before they followed after the giant dragon, and before their very eyes, the monsters became a myriad of colors that turned to streaks of light as they soared into the sky, before bursting into fireworks that colored the sky above them.

The crowds wowed and clapped at the display, the murmurs reaching a crescendo as the fireworks disappeared, and an excited hum filled the air even after the display was over.

And through it all, Kise’s heart pounded with excitement.

* * *

“Amazing! Duel Links and KaibaCorp are already trending number one in all major social media sites! It looks like KaibaCorp made their announcement in major cities around the world and videos from all over have already been posted on social media too. Getting those permits and making that display couldn’t have been easy or cheap… but talk about shock factor and free press! Seto Kaiba is seriously a genius! There’s already been so many hits on the Duel Links website that the servers crashed.”

The trio had finally gotten their food and sat down at a table within the restaurant, although Momoi hadn’t even touched her food as she was glued to her phone following the development of what they had seen less than an hour ago. Kise smiled happily as he watched the excitement and admiration on her face and the twinkle of her pink eyes.

“Yeah, Kaibacchi is definitely amazing, he surprises me every time!”

“Tell me about it! I was expecting a grand announcement, but nothing of this magnitude! This seriously exceeded all my expectations!”

Kise blinked at the pink-haired woman, a thought suddenly occurring to him.

“Wait a second… Momocchi! You mean to tell me the shopping we were doing was for Kaibacchi’s tournament? You’re planning to participate?” Kise could hardly hold down his excitement as he practically stood from his seat as he looked at Momoi full of excitement.

Momoi smiled sheepishly as she looked back at Kise, and the look on her face was all the answer Kise needed.

“That’s so awesome Momocchi! I can’t wait to duel you! You’re going to be so great!”

“Well, I owe it to you for introducing me to the game Kichan! Now that I’ve put together some decks, it’s my turn to shine!”

“Well Momocchi, I can tell you that even though you’re my friend and someone I respect, I won’t go easy on you!”

Momoi smirked back.

“I’m counting on that! I’m so excited! I hope that Akashi and Midorin also participate since they played Duel Monsters in the past. It would be fun to finally be able to play against you guys in something that isn’t basketball and see how well I’d do.”

“I’m excited too! Specially if other amazing duelists from previous tournaments show up! Can you imagine if the King of Games himself participates? And other past top-ranking duelists?”

Aomine frowned as he poked at his food, his appetite forgotten as he watched his friends continue to talk about the man and game which he had decided he didn’t like for reasons revolving around a certain blonde and his continued interest and involvement with both.

His annoyance only increased when he saw Kise’s phone begin to vibrate on the table, and his keen eyes caught the name of the person who had just sent him a text. His eyes narrowed at the look of excitement on Kise’s face when he too read the name as he paused to text back.

He was still upset that Kise had taken so long to reach out to him, even though he knew it was silly since the blonde was always busy, and a part of him had hoped that it would be just the two of them.

But he also knew he could never exclude Momoi for such selfish reasons, and he couldn’t ask her for help because of his pride and her own feelings on the matter.

Still, it was a slap in the face to see this Seto Kaiba’s over the top display that made Aomine feel small in comparison. Sure, he was confident in his ability in basketball, but what was that compared to a billionaire CEO who had the ability to create technology that made monsters look so real? And with both Kise and Momoi spewing what a genius and how amazing he was, it was really grating on his nerves.

But what could he do about it? He couldn’t make Kise stop playing the game, especially since he could see he genuinely loved it. And was he ready to face Kise on the reason he broke up with him? Doing so would go against that reason to begin with. He needed Kise to realize it from the bottom of his heart… and how could he if Aomine gave him the answer?

“Oy, Kise… what do you say to a one-on-one?” Aomine asked, eager to change the subject to something he felt much more comfortable in.

Kise turned to look at him, his smile widening and eyes shining bright at Aomine’s suggestion.

“I thought you’d never ask, Aominecchi!”

“Hmph, you could ask me yourself too you know.”

Kise smiled sheepishly.

“Yeah, but it’s nice when you’re the one to ask for a change. After being the one to constantly beg you in middle school… It makes me feel worthy of being your opponent.”

Aomine narrowed his eyes, and his heart did that funny thing it often did when Kise said stupid embarrassing things, making him bring his hand close to the blonde’s face so he could playfully flick his forehead.

“Idiot… you’ve always been a worthy opponent.”

“Really? Even though Kagamicchi was the first one to beat you?”

Both Aomine and Momoi blinked at the blonde’s question.

But Kise was more surprised than anyone by his question… it was a question that had always burned in the pit of his stomach, but that he had been too afraid to voice aloud, too afraid to hear the answer. He had always thought he would be the one to finally defeat Aomine… and it had left a bitter taste in his mouth to see that it had been Kagami to claim that honor.

It was Kagami that brought that smile back to Aomine’s face… while all Kise had managed was his contempt at his failed attempt. He had told Aomine back then that he simply wasn’t good enough yet… and with only two years of basketball experience… it was easy to believe that his full potential was ahead of him. But here he was… two more years later… and he had yet to defeat the man in front of him.

“Well yeah… I mean… Kagami might have been the first to beat me… but… it was different with you…”

Kise felt his breath hitch as he watched Aomine blunder for words.

“How?”

He wanted to know.

No.

_Needed_ to know.

“Because… fuck… I don’t know. I guess because Kagami was _new _and_ unpredictable_. I wasn’t familiar with his playing style or his potential… and he had Tetsu… it wasn’t a one-on-one. The circumstances were different. Everything was different…”

Aomine paused, his eyes closed as if to either concentrate on forming the thoughts he wanted to convey or to avoid looking at the blonde in front of him.

“And… with me…?”

Eyes still closed, Aomine breathed a deep sigh and Kise felt as if he couldn’t breathe.

“I always thought you were amazing… even before you joined the basketball team. I’d heard the rumors about you, and after you joined… you proved again that you were amazing by learning as fast as you did. But because you learned along side me… it was always _familiar_, like a practiced dance, and I could see every step you were taking, and knew what you would do next, so that nothing could surprise me. But when I played against you… my reason for not wanting to lose was different…”

Kise blinked in astonishment, and even Momoi looked intrigued and shocked by what Aomine was openly admitting. Aomine looked increasingly uncomfortable, now scratching at the back of his head as he flushed and grumbled.

“I guess… in a way… I didn’t want to disappoint you…I wanted to live up to your expectations as the reason you wanted to play in the first place… even when I had given up on finding someone stronger… you were the last person I wanted to lose to.”

He had said too much… what was he thinking saying stupid embarrassing things like that? That was Kise’s and Kuroko’s and maybe even Kagami’s place. He certainly didn’t bother to explain himself; he didn’t owe anyone his motives. Why did Kise always seem to be one of his exceptions?

There was a prolonged silence, and this time, Aomine couldn’t resist the urge to open his eyes and look at the blonde sitting in front of him.

His eyes widened at the sight waiting for him.

Because Kise’s golden eyes were full of a fire that threatened to scorch everything in his path. It made Aomine tense and he had to resist the urge to flinch as that molten gaze settled on him, and if Aomine had been anyone else, he would be feeling his body go into fight-or-flight at the sight of Kise’s gaze on him.

“Ki—”

“Stop! Don’t say another word…”

This time, both Momoi and Aomine recoiled at the sound of Kise’s heated command, and they both tensed when the blonde abruptly stood, his figure tense and his fists clenched at his sides.

“Out of all the things you could have said Aominecchi… you managed to say something that really pisses me off.”

Aomine blinked in confusion, completely taken aback by Kise’s reaction.

“You mean to tell me… that this whole time… I wasn’t even an option in your book? You thought of me so little that you felt the need to protect my feelings? Who the fuck do you think you are!?”

Aomine recoiled once more at Kise’s unprecedented wrath, and now his body really did go into fight-or-flight mode as his heart rate sped up and his palms began to sweat.

“You might have been the reason I wanted to play basketball in the first place… but you aren’t the reason I grew to love it! Back then… I was willing to let go of my admiration of you… so that I could copy you and finally have a chance to beat you… only for you to tell me that you didn’t want me to win because you wanted me to keep looking up to you? Do you have any idea how disrespectful that is to me! Are you seriously telling me I’m nothing but some sick form of entertainment to you? A way to stroke your ego? Did you just enjoy the sight of me begging for another game?”

“Kichan—”

Momoi stopped abruptly, her eyes widening as Kise’s eyes flashed once more.

“Well… you can forget about all that! Aomine Daiki… the next time we meet on the court… it will be in the battle for the Inter-High. This time I’ll make you see me as someone you should fear and respect… and not someone whose feelings you need to protect, or someone you can use as an ego boost.”

There was a pause, and Aomine took that moment to straighten and harden his gaze as he met the full force of Kise’s wrath.

“Fine.”

Kise’s eyes flashed again, and this time, he clicked his tongue before abruptly turning and leaving the table in a flurry.

It took another moment for the two remaining figures to regain their bearings, and Momoi was the first to move as she looked down at the darker hand that had gripped her own when she had tried to speak up.

“Daichan… Why didn’t you let me say anything? Why did you let him believe that?”

There she went again… looking all concerned. Why did she always look at him like that when he least needed it?

Aomine sighed, finally letting go of her hand as he looked in the direction that Kise had gone.

“Because… it’s probably better this way…”

Momoi looked to her childhood friend, and felt her eyes water at the look on his face, because reflected in his usually cool and cold blue eyes… was pain.

“Are you seriously crying?” Aomine grunted as he fleetingly looked at his pink-haired friend.

“Daichan… you’re such an idiot…”

Aomine sighed again, his body slumping after the adrenaline started to fade from his system.

“Maybe… I guess we’ll see at the Inter-High.”

And as he clenched his fist so tight he could feel the nails dig into his palm, he could taste blood in his mouth from the bite of his teeth on his tongue.

* * *

Kise’s rage followed him all the way back to his apartment.

It was only after he got off at his train stop and the chill of the night air hit him that he finally began to cool his head, but his anger continued to simmer just beneath the surface. He had purposely ignored his phone the entire way home so he didn’t succumb to the urge to send Aomine a few more of his thoughts on the matter.

He wanted to hold on to this anger.

Because it was the very first time he could say he was honestly angry at the blue-haired man. Even after his losses against him… after their break-up… even after seeing him flirt with girls… Kise had never been truly angry at him. He had been saddened, resigned, jealous, hurt… but never angry. He had only ever been angry at himself. For not winning… for not being good enough.

Until now.

How dare Aomine think so little of him? He had thought Aomine had at least respected him… enough to give it his all against him in games and the reason why Kise hadn’t been able to beat him. Only to find out that his reason was so selfish and shallow? That he simply wanted Kise to continue to be an idiot by continuing to praise the ground he walked on? The equivalent to a fanboy?

It was one thing to admire Aomine for his skill… Kise had never once denied that of him. But it was another for Aomine to tell him he didn’t see him as a true opponent.

Well… Kise would certainly prove him wrong.

He had declared his challenge, and he would follow through on it like his life depended on it.

“You look like you’re contemplating murder.”

Kise’s eyes widened as he looked up at the sound of the familiar voice, noticing for the first time that he had made it to his apartment and the unexpected figure that was leaning against his door with his arms crossed in front of him.

“Kaibacchi… w-what are you doing here? How long have you been here?” Kise asked, his anger forgotten and replaced by surprise.

Kaiba only raised an eyebrow.

“Not long. Weren’t you the one to extend an open invitation to visit you whenever I wanted?” the brunette countered and Kise blinked.

“Ah… yeah but… I thought you would at least give me a heads up to make sure I was home.”

This time, Kaiba’s eyes narrowed.

“I did. Didn’t you see my message?”

Kise blinked again and scrambled to take out his phone from the inside pocket of his thin jacket, and quickly unlocked it to see if he had any messages. And as Kaiba said… he indeed had a message from the brunette telling him to make sure he was home in two hours.

“Neh Kaibacchi… what would you have done if I hadn’t seen your message and taken hours to get home?”

Kaiba grunted.

“I guess track you down and scold you for not looking at your messages.”

Despite himself, Kise laughed.

“You really aren’t used to having friends… are you?” Kise teased as he took a step closer to the brunette man.

Kaiba’s eyes narrowed.

“Are you making fun of me?” he asked.

Kise’s smile widened as he took yet another step towards him.

“Yeah… kind of,” he admitted, this time taking out the keys from his pocket and reaching for the door with Kaiba still standing in front of it, their bodies close and their gaze locked onto each other as Kise turned his key to unlock the door.

Kaiba waited patiently for the blonde to open the door, and as soon as it was open the brunette pushed Kise inside, closing the door behind them before grabbing the blonde by his wrists and pinning them over his head as he pressed him up against the nearest wall.

Kise gasped at the sudden feeling of Kaiba’s body against his, his body immediately reacting to the warmth and hardness of him as his heart rate sped up and his pupils dilated as their gazes met.

“I don’t appreciate being made fun of…” Kaiba replied as he buried his nose in the crook of Kise’s neck, enjoying the way the blond shivered and breathed deeply at the feeling of his nose trailing up his neck.

“Kaibacchi…”

The sound of his name in that intoxicating breathless plea of his was the reason Kaiba hadn’t been able to shake his thoughts free of the blonde underneath him. Even as he tried his best to give his undivided attention to the plans and launch of his Duel Links campaign, thoughts and flashes of Kise from their last night together had invaded his waking thoughts… and some of his provocative texts certainly hadn’t made things easier.

Which was why… as soon as his part in the KaibaCorp announcement was done and all that was left was to see the fruits of their labor flood in… Kaiba had wanted nothing more than to celebrate his successful announcement by finally being able to taste and touch the man he had been craving all week.

“Kise…”

Kise moaned and craned his neck to give Kaiba more access as the brunette began to nip and lick lightly at the skin. As always, the sound of his name in Kaiba’s voice sent a sharp trill of desire down his spine and to his groin and Kise instinctually pressed up against him to create friction between them.

He wanted to touch him, but Kaiba’s grip on his wrists kept him from reaching out.

“Hng… what made you want to see me today, shouldn’t you be holding a press conference or something?” Kise asked through the mewls and gasps that Kaiba was eliciting from him as he ravaged his neck, even more so when one of his hands began to explore beneath his shirt and trail up his torso.

“The press conference will be held on Monday, and my staff can handle any issues that might come up until then. That’s what I pay them for. Right now… all I want to do is touch you and see you cum with me inside you.”

Kise let out a particularly loud moan at Kaiba’s words and this time struggled against his restraint.

“Kaibacchi no fair… let me touch you too… _please_.”

Kaiba hummed against Kise's skin, so that Kise trembled at the low rumble. To Kise’s relief, Kaiba obliged his request and let go of his wrists, and Kise wasted no time in reaching for Kaiba and tugging at his jacket to take it off.

Kaiba let Kise slide off his jacket and continue to tug his shirt off, letting the clothing fall to the ground as Kaiba now stood shirtless before him, before he quickly did the same to Kise.

The lights were still turned off, and it was late enough that the apartment was dark and the only light was from the moonlight and the outside lights that streamed in through the window.

But even though they couldn’t fully see each other, they were able to acutely feel their hands on each other as they stroked the newly exposed skin. For the first time, Kise truly noticed the necklace around Kaiba’s neck, the card shaped rectangle that he always seemed to wear no matter the outfit he wore.

Curious, but not willing to ask just then, Kise leaned down and placed open mouthed kisses on Kaiba’s collar bones and made his way up his neck, his hands stroking down Kaiba’s sides only to head straight to his pants where one of his hands snuck into the waistband of his boxers to cup the hardening member beneath. It was warm and firm and it made Kise burn with desire at the feeling of it in his hands. Kaiba sighed as he placed one hand against the wall behind Kise while the other settled on Kise’s neck and in a fluid motion cupped his chin and brought his lips to his in a bruising kiss.

Kise kissed back, their mouths licking and sucking as their lips moved against each other eagerly, and Kise began to undo Kaiba’s pants as the man flicked his tongue against his lips and Kise welcomed him in. Their kiss became wet and heavy as Kise finally undid Kaiba’s pants and pulled down his boxers to free his now fully hardened cock, causing Kaiba to groan when Kise’s hand encircled around it.

Kise paused their kissing to break away and look at Kaiba with a heady gaze, licking his lips as his free hand worked to undo his own pants while Kaiba glanced down when the movement caught his gaze. Kise was just as hard as him as he freed himself from his own boxers, and Kaiba looked back to meet his gaze, recognizing the look of playful mischief on Kise’s face.

But as Kise lightly stroked Kaiba’s cock in his hand, his thoughts came to a halt as he enjoyed the feeling of Kise’s hand on him, and didn’t miss Kise’s grin when he shuddered at the sudden feeling of Kise’s cock pressing up against his, Kise’s hands wrapping around both as he held them against each other.

Kaiba groaned deep in his throat when Kise gave an experimental thrust of his hips, creating a delicious friction between them that made Kaiba press up closer against the blond. Kise did a few more thrusts, his breaths a little quicker as he tightened his grip around their touching members.

“Kaibacchi… I have lube in my room…” Kise whispered suggestively, looking up to meet Kaiba’s gaze. While the last thing Kise wanted to do was stop, he also knew that it would feel much better with the liquid between them.

“No need, I have some with me.”

Kise paused and blinked at Kaiba with surprise, before smiling.

“You came prepared,” Kise said teasingly, a part of him secretly pleased that these were Kaiba’s intentions for coming to see him.

“Don’t look so surprised, I’m always prepared.”

Kise grinned wider as Kaiba reached into his back pocket, and feeling extra playful, leaned closer to his face, and nudged his nose against his cheek as his lips hovered over his with only a breath between them.

“So, you’re always prepared to surprise pretty boys at their apartment?”

Kaiba didn’t answer right away, choosing to take his time opening the small bottle of lube in his hand as he nudged Kise gently back so he could see what he was doing, and Kise bit his lip as he watched Kaiba pour the liquid into his hand, put the lube back into his pocket, and then rub the lube between his hands. He shuddered as Kaiba reached down to their still pressed members and nudged his hands between Kise’s that were still holding them together, and with his hands on top, Kise noticed that their hands were practically the same size, with Kaiba’s fingers slightly more slender than his own. The feeling of the cold and wet liquid against his sensitive skin sent a shiver up Kise’s spine followed by waves of pleasure as Kaiba rubbed and spread the lube around both members.

This time, it was Kaiba that held them together and thrust his hips to create the pleasurable friction between them, causing Kise to gasp as the pleasure traveled from his cock and up his body.

“Not particularly,” Kaiba finally answered as he caught Kise’s golden gaze, his voice as even and cool as ever despite their situation, “You seem to be a special case.”

At the response, Kise’s eyes widened and he felt himself blush as warmth bloomed in his chest, but before he could properly process the meaning behind the CEO’s words, Kaiba thrust his hips again, sending another wave of pleasure through Kise, the lube making it easier and more comfortable for them to slide against each other, and Kise rested more of his weight against the wall behind him.

Kaiba watched the blonde under him become lost to the pleasure as he created a rhythm between them, adding pressure with his hands as he saw fit. He loved the look of lust and pleasure on Kise’s face, the way his eyes were half lidded and his breaths came out in short gasps and pants, the way he thrust his hips to match Kaiba’s and increase the friction between them.

Kaiba wanted to prolong their release as he watched Kise closely and his breathing became even shallower, and purposely slowed down his pace to tease him, causing the blonde to groan in frustration and arch his own hips to compensate.

All week it had been Kise’s face that played at the forefront of his thoughts at night, and more than once he found himself seeking release by his own hands and wishing it had been the blonde in his place.

Never had Kaiba craved someone as much as he had Kise Ryota, and while a part of him felt uneasy with this change in character, another part of him wanted to satisfy his desire even more. After all, was it so unusual to lust after such an attractive and talented person? One that he had even grown to respect and appreciate? Who was he to deny what he wanted?

And one thing was for certain… he _wanted_ Kise Ryota.

“Kaibacchi…” Kise’s mewl broke through his thoughts, and Kaiba could see that Kise was on the edge of his release.

This time, Kaiba wanted to see him come completely undone, tightening his grip around their members and increasing his pace, so that his own breathing came out as pants.

“Hng… I’m so close…” Kise warned, and Kaiba could see from the faltering of his hips that it was true.

“Not yet…” Kaiba commanded, and Kise groaned in frustration, but Kaiba could see on his face that he was fighting down his release.

Kaiba increased his pace even more, and he could see Kise’s discomfort as he tried to keep his orgasm at bay before he visibly shuddered again.

“I… I can’t!”

Kaiba watched as Kise’s brows scrunched, his hands letting go of his as they moved to dig into the walls behind him and bis breathing became ragged.

“Nngh!”

With a loud groan, Kise’s hips spasmed against his, but Kaiba only increased his pace as he watched Kise close his eyes tightly and lean against the wall behind, his mouth going slack as he tensed beneath him, his orgasm overwhelming him as he came in thick squirts between his hands and onto his stomach, his face flushed and relaxed from his release.

Kaiba paused in his own movements, holding his own release back despite the erotic picture that Kise presented him with as he gave him a moment to bask in the high of it.

His breathing slowed down, and his golden eyes opened slightly to look back at him.

“S-sorry Kaibacchi…” he whispered.

“No need. You’re about to make it up to me.”

Kise blinked at him in confusion, and Kaiba smirked as he stroked Kise’s cheek with one finger that made the younger man shiver.

“Turn around.”

Kise flushed at Kaiba’s command and knew what was coming next. If he hadn’t just orgasmed, he would be hardening already. With a single nod and another shiver of anticipation, Kise slowly turned around, so that his hands and forearms supported him against the wall now in front of him.

For a moment Kaiba did nothing but run his hands across his shoulder and down his sides and back, making goosebumps rise in their wake. Then, his hands travelled lower, so that Kise gasped when Kaiba’s hands skirted around his backside, and down his inner thighs before travelling back up and, with the back of his hands, lightly caressed his lower cheeks.

Kise could feel his heart beat faster again as his blood once more began to pump and gasped under his breath when he felt Kaiba’s hands on his hips, only for him to tug them backwards sharply so that Kaiba’s hard cock rubbed against his ass.

“Hng…”

Kise gasped louder when he felt Kaiba begin to rub his cock between the cheeks of his ass, the slicked member spreading the lube along it with each movement of his cock.

Kaiba did this for a moment, keenly aware of Kise’s breathing and giving him time to recover despite his own desire to sheathe himself into the alluring blonde, and deciding it was enough time, pulled away slightly, just enough to take out a condom from his back pocket and slide in on, and once again take out the bottle of lube in his back pocket to pour some over his fingers and cock before moving onto Kise’s hole, enjoying the gasp from the blonde.

He didn’t give Kise warning as he began to push his thumb against the puckered hole while his hand rested on his backside, and he felt Kise tense and shudder at the suddenness of Kaiba’s intruding digit as the blonde grunted.

Kaiba moved his finger in and out slowly, and Kise’s breathed heady breaths as he began to arch against the motion, before Kaiba pulled it out only to push in with his longer finger.

Kise moaned at the feeling of the longer digit, his cock beginning to harden at the feeling of being filled, and moaned louder when Kaiba drew it out only to enter again with another digit, scissoring them inside him to spread him more.

Kise felt so hot, and leaned his forehead against wall, welcoming the coolness of it as Kaiba’s fingers continued to stretch him out, and mewled even louder when a third digit stretched him wider and Kaiba thrust all three digits in and out.

Kise was rock hard now, his cock ached and Kise’s mind went blank once more when Kaiba hooked his fingers inside him so that they stroked his sweet spot, making another loud moan escape him as he arched against him and pressed his cheek against the wall.

Not willing to wait any longer, Kaiba pulled out his fingers and took a second to admire his work as the unfilled hole twitched, before aligning and pressing the engorged head of his cock against the hole, and as Kise tensed at the feeling of it, Kaiba grabbed onto his hips before slowly pressing in, giving Kise only a moment to adjust himself before completely sheathing the rest of himself inside.

Kaiba shuddered as he felt Kise clench around him.

Kise moaned low in his throat at the feeling of Kaiba finally entering him, the familiar burn of being stretched and filled to the brim with Kaiba’s hardened cock a welcomed feeling as he dug his nails dig into the walls once more. 

Kaiba didn’t hesitate to start moving, his cock thrusting in and out, their position letting him reach deeper inside the blonde as it pressed up against his prostate easily with each thrust.

Kise was on fire as Kaiba fucked him without abandon, his pace rough and fast as he sheathed himself balls deep each time, the slap of their skin against each other resounding throughout the apartment that only served to turn him on even more.

Kaiba was breathing faster now, sweat trailing down his body as he became lost in the tightness and heat of the younger man bent over in front of him and the erotic sight of his slick cock sliding in and out of him as the blonde moaned with each thrust. Kise mewled and moaned even louder when Kaiba adjusted the angle of his hips to hit the spot he had learned the blonde enjoyed quite a bit from the last time they had done this.

He could feel his orgasm approaching again and had every intention to make the blonde cum with him.

With that in mind, he bent over Kise so that it was easier to reach around and grasp his cock, causing Kise to gasp and tense at the unexpected touch, his moans growing louder when Kaiba began to pump his hand while his hips continued to thrust.

“Kaibacchi! Mmph, _yes_!”

Kaiba would be lying if he said that nickname hadn’t grown on him. After all, who else had ever called him that in the throes of passion? Kise’s breathy moans of encouragement only made it harder for him to hold back, and he needed Kise to catch up fast, so he leaned as close as he could towards his ear.

“I want you to cum with me Kise…”

Kise made a choked sound in the back of his throat, and turned his head to look back at Kaiba, meeting his gaze as he bit his lip.

Kaiba had slowed the rhythm of his hips, choosing to give more attention to Kise’s cock as he continued to pump it steadily.

When Kise nodded his head slowly, Kaiba grinned before leaning closer to Kise’s face, and this time, Kise arched to meet him, so their lips met in a sloppy and wet kiss as Kaiba continued to pump him, and this time, resumed his own thrusts.

Kaiba braced himself against the wall, and their kissing stopped when both began to pant from the exertion of their bodies as they lost themselves in the pleasure of each other, and as their breath became more ragged and as Kaiba’s thrusting became erratic, it was clear they couldn’t hold back anymore.

“K-Kaibacchi… I’m… I’m…”

Kise didn’t need to finish his sentence as he groaned instead, the way that he tensed and clenched around Kaiba was all Kaiba needed to know he was where he wanted him, and Kaiba’s own hips shuddered as he felt and heard Kise’s orgasm wash over him, his moan of pleasure causing Kaiba’s own release as he grunted and sheathed himself one final time into the blonde as he came.

For a moment all Kaiba could see was stars as his mind went blank, the pleasure of his orgasm making him lean his weight against his hands that braced him against the wall and all he could focus on was the way that Kise still gripped him. Only with this blonde had his orgasms ever hit him so hard…

After a moment of catching his breath, Kaiba slowly pulled out of the blonde and once he was out, Kise straightened, before slowly turning around and resting against the wall behind him, his breathing still slightly labored as he looked at Kaiba with half-lidded eyes.

Kaiba placed his arms on either side of Kise as he looked back at him.

“Should we move to your room? Or would you rather stay out here?”

Instead of answering, Kise drew Kaiba in for a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys... I'm so excited for the next chapter. It was one of my favorites to write. I want these boys together forever ughhh. They are so good for each other.


	29. Pillow Talks and Showers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaiba makes Kise realize something important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the title of this chapter, I'm sure you can all guess this is a pretty fluffy chapter. Enjoy the cotton candy.

They managed to christen his couch and kitchen counter before they made it to Kise’s room, and by that point they were sated enough that they merely collapsed on the bed to make out some more before taking a breather.

Kise wasn’t sure he could go another round himself, but he was considering sucking Kaiba off if the brunette didn’t oppose it…

Kise was on his side as he looked at Kaiba, a thin gray sheet draped haphazardly over them.

“You’re spending the night, right?” Kise asked softly, tracing his finger along Kaiba’s bicep as he watched his expression carefully.

Kaiba for his part, kept his expression blank as his icy blue eyes turned to look at Kise.

“Is it necessary?” he countered, and Kise pouted.

“Well it’s getting late… I wouldn’t want you to drive so far this late at night.”

“What makes you think I drove?”

Kise frowned in confusion.

“You took the train?”

Kaiba huffed in indignation as he closed his eyes.

“Please, you think I would resort to such a common form of transportation?”

Now Kise was downright lost.

“Then how did you get here?” he asked.

“I flew, of course.”

Kise looked at Kaiba in silence, waiting for him to tell him ‘_just kidding_’. Then again… this was Kaiba. The man who enjoyed flaunting his status and intelligence, the man who had managed to build a ship that could take him to another dimension.

“You’re being serious, aren’t you…”

Kaiba opened his eyes to meet Kise’s curious gaze once more.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

At his response, Kise couldn’t help but laugh.

“You’re insane Kaibacchi…” he said.

Kaiba didn’t answer, and Kise only moved closer to the brunette, leaning down to place a soft kiss on the same bicep he had been caressing just a moment before.

“Well, either way… I’d like you to stay. I’ll even wake you up with some of the best head of your life…” Kise teased, but his eyes reflected molten orbs that told Kaiba he was serious, and remembering the first time Kise had sucked him off, Kaiba knew the blonde could follow through on his promise.

“Hm… tempting.”

Kise smiled, knowing that this would be the most he would get from Kaiba, and regardless of what he chose to do, Kise wanted to make the most of his visit.

“I really liked your announcement… I was in Ginza when it happened. Talk about being at the right place at the right time! I gotta say, you really know how to go big. But a lot of people were scared! A warning would have been nice.”

Kaiba hummed, and Kise was pleasantly surprised when his arm moved behind him so that his hand could caress his back, causing Kise to shiver.

“I’ve found that shock factor is the best way to incite a following. I made sure all precautions were taken and police and emergency services were on standby.”

Kise blinked and frowned, laying down so that his head was on the crook of Kaiba’s neck, all the while Kaiba’s hand continued his feather-like caress across the back of Kise’s shoulders that made goosebumps rise along his skin as Kise resisted the urge to hum contentedly.

“Well, you certainly crashed the internet,” Kise mumbled, feeling utterly relaxed and sated that he had absolutely no urge to move.

There was a moment of silence, and Kise would have dosed off if Kaiba hadn’t spoken again.

“You looked upset when you got home, why is that?”

Kise was surprised by Kaiba’s question and remembered what had happened that made him return to his apartment instead of going to a nearby court to play a basketball game with Aomine. Remembering it made something unpleasant stir in the pit of his stomach, but Kaiba’s presence was enough to sooth the feeling into something tolerable.

“Oh that… well, I was hanging out with my friends Aomine and Momocchi. Aomine said something that pissed me off, so I left and came back home.”

Kaiba didn’t miss the fact that Kise had dropped the nickname on the so called Aomine, which spoke volumes of how angry Kise must be with the man.

“What did he say to make you so angry? I know it takes a lot to bring out that side of you…”

Kise couldn’t help but smile, touched that Kaiba was initiating a conversation, something he knew by now that the man hardly ever did. It overwrote the unpleasant feeling that remembering the moment with Aomine made him feel. Kaiba’s interest made it easy for Kise to open up about the feelings that led to Kise’s anger and resentment.

“He asked me to play basketball after we were done eating, and he ended up telling me I was the last person he wanted to lose to in basketball because he didn’t want me to stop looking up to him… and that pissed me off.”

Kaiba laughed, and Kise frowned as he recoiled away from Kaiba to look at his expression.

“What? That’s it? Why does that piss you off?”

Kise glared at Kaiba as he flushed in indignation.

“It’s not that simple! That’s the most disrespectful thing he could ever say to me!”

Kaiba looked unconvinced.

“How so?”

Kise pouted.

“I doubt you’d understand… it’s a kind of a complicated long story…”

Kaiba sighed and pulled Kise back to his previous position with his head against the crook of his neck, drawing him closer than he had been before.

“Try me… I have time.”

Kise felt his entire body warm up as his heart skipped a beat, his eyes wide at Kaiba’s gesture, and he suddenly felt like putty as he leaned against Kaiba and basked in the warmth of his body.

How could he not oblige after that?

“Well… Aomine was the person that inspired me to play basketball. When I saw his plays, I thought they were amazing and I even thought I might never be able to copy his style… but I wanted to try. When I was put into first string and eventually became a starter, I constantly asked Aomine for one on one’s, hoping to beat him but never could. But even though I always lost… I always had fun. It was great to finally have a worthy opponent, someone that pushed me to be better and work harder than I ever had before. I’d never experienced that before basketball and Aomine.

But because Aomine was always stronger than all our opponents to the point they always gave up when they faced him… he could never find that same kind of challenge in others and lost the passion he had for basketball. He learned to believe the only one who could beat him was himself and had no interest in getting better. He stopped coming to practice and only played games, and the basketball team was never the same after that. Everyone kind of did their own thing, and we weren’t so much a team as pieces to win and hold the title. I didn’t think much of it at the time, since my goal was still to get good enough to finally beat Aomine, and as long as we won I thought that was enough as a member of the team.

We all ended up choosing different schools when we moved on to high school, and Akashicchi pointed out that it was because we didn’t like being lumped as the Generation of Miracles, and that we wanted to prove we could hold our own and be the best. It was true of course… but leave it to Akashicchi to be the one to say it out loud. It was a promise we had that we would compete against each other and prove we were the best of the supposed Generation of Miracles during high school.

I stood by that promise of course… but the one I wanted to beat the most was Aomine.”

Kise paused, realizing he was probably saying more than he needed… but it felt easy to speak with Kaiba, and since he hadn’t said anything to cut him off, he figured he was fine listening to his tale.

“The first time we faced off was for the inter-high our first year of high school. Back then… I wasn’t able to copy the Generation of Miracles. It wasn’t until I was facing Aomine that I realized that the only way I could beat him was to stop looking up to him… because since I admired him, I never wanted to see him lose, and since I didn’t want to see him lose, I could never truly play my best. So during that game… I gave up on looking up on him, and was finally able to copy his style.

But in the end… I still lost. Aomine knew me better than I knew him… and saw through my strategy. He told me that the only way I would beat him was to rely only on myself, but I still believed that I would beat him someday, even if I hadn’t been able to then.

But then… Kagamicchi was able to beat Aomine during the winter cup. It was unbelievable, and I hated that it had been Kagamicchi that was the first to do it when I had wanted it to be me… even more so because even to this day… Aomine is the only one I’ve faced that I’ve never been able to beat at least once, and the reason Kaijo hasn’t taken any of the championships… he’s the one obstacle I haven’t been able to overcome…”

Kise sighed.

“So when Aomine told me that he didn’t want to lose to me because he didn’t want me to stop looking up to him… it was like he was telling me that he didn’t see me as his equal on the court. It wasn’t his skill that he wanted to prove… it was my feelings he wanted to protect, and even worse… his own ego. It felt like a slap in the face… I thought he at least respected me… but to not value my skill? It just pissed me off… what has all my hard work been for if he doesn’t even acknowledge me as a true basketball opponent? That he wants me to continue to be some kind of groupie! It’s like he doesn’t understand that I already gave up on looking up to him back then! What was all that for if he still sees me the way I was in middle school?”

Kise groaned.

“Maybe I’m being silly and overreacting… maybe I really am overthinking it… but that’s what it felt like. It was like one of the worst insults I’d ever been told… I mean… your accusation of me was still by far the worst but Aomine’s is probably up there with yours!”

The last part was said teasingly, and Kaiba huffed.

“Your feelings are valid, whether that’s what he meant by it or not. You’re allowed to feel angry.”

Kise blinked and turned his head to look at Kaiba. Was he comforting him?

“Why do you think you haven’t beaten him?”

Kaiba’s question once more threw Kise off.

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly what it sounds like. Why do you think you haven’t beat Aomine in basketball? Do you think it’s a lack of skill? Do you think even though you say you stopped looking up to him, a part of you still does?”

Kise frowned.

“I…”

Kise paused, realizing for the first time that he wasn’t sure what his answer was anymore.

“I can tell you why you haven’t won.”

Kise looked at Kaiba with apprehension in his eyes.

“You can?”

Kaiba moved onto his side, and Kise mirrored his move as also turned onto his side to look at Kaiba.

“Like I told you before… it’s not a lack of skill that you have. You have as much skill as Aomine, and more in your arsenal. The reason you haven’t won isn’t even that you still look up to him. You’re obviously past that now.”

Kise felt something unpleasant stir in the pit of his stomach, and he found it hard to meet Kaiba’s gaze as he looked to the space in the bed between them instead as Kaiba continued. He knew Kaiba was about to say something that he wasn’t prepared to hear.

“The reason you haven’t won… is because it’s easier to tell yourself that you tried your best and your injury is the reason you can’t win. You’re using your injury as a handicap… instead of admitting to yourself that you’ve convinced yourself you’re not good enough. It’s not Aomine that thinks less of you… it’s you who thinks less of you.”

Kise felt as if lightning shot through his body, and his eyes widened as his fists clenched.

“It’s why when I saw your match against him… I was able to see the moment you gave up. Back then, I thought with certainty you would win from your plays alone. But for some reason, you gave up. I didn’t understand why you did it back then… but I can see it now.”

Could that be true?

Had he truly given up?

He remembered that match.

He remembered feeling good about his plays and for once feeling as if he might win.

But then… his foot starting aching… like it always did.

He knew then that Aomine was going to get ahead of him… and he wouldn’t be able to keep up.

At least… he thought he knew…

But… hadn’t he been proven correct when Aomine overtook him again? And won the match?

Or had it been _because_ he had given up?

Kise sighed and turned to lay on his back as he looked at the ceiling.

“Maybe you’re right Kaibacchi… as much as I hate to admit it… going up against Aomine has always felt like an impossible task… maybe it really _was_ easier to give up and blame my injury than accept I didn’t believe in myself...”

Kaiba watched a flurry of emotions dance across Kise’s golden eyes, but could see that despite his young age, Kise handled his emotions well. He had expected him to deny his claim, to tell him he was wrong. But instead, he was accepting that this was indeed a possibility.

“What will you do about it?”

Kise closed his eyes at Kaiba’s question, and a moment of contemplative silence passed.

“Well… I already declared war on Aomine. I told him next time we faced off in the court I would show him I was someone to be feared and respected. My only option after a declaration like that is to prove it. Otherwise I wouldn’t be a man of my word…”

Another moment of silence, but the next time Kise opened his eyes he turned his head to look at Kaiba, and their gaze met.

“Do you think I can do it?” he asked softly.

Kaiba could still hear a hint of uncertainty in his voice, and while his golden eyes were mostly guarded, he could see a glimpse of vulnerability in them.

Kaiba was surprised to feel a twinge of protectiveness at the way that Kise looked to him, as if he needed his validation to believe he could do it.

What a fool…

And yet… Kaiba couldn’t bring himself to see Kise as weak, despite knowing that were it anyone else, that’s exactly what he would see them as.

“You asked me that night if you had made me a fan…”

Kise blinked as he turned onto his side to look at Kaiba, his heart clenching slightly at what might be coming next. The answer he had been wanting for so long…

“Why do you think I bothered to follow you out if you hadn’t?”

_Ba dump._

Kise felt his heart skip and his eyes widen as he looked back at Kaiba.

Kaiba for his part, was surprised that Kise wasn’t being loud and obnoxious about his roundabout answer, but answer nonetheless. He had expected the blonde to jump for joy or give a victory yell… instead… he was just looking at him, with that warmth in his eyes that made Kaiba feel as if he was water in a desert.

It was unsettling.

Only more so as Kise slowly closed the distance between them, his face devoid of the same emotion that was reflected in his eyes, and as Kise got closer, those eyes that seemed to pierce something deep inside him were only inches away. And as always when it came to Kise, Kaiba had no desire to move, especially when Kise’s hand reached out to rest on his cheek, the warmth and touch making his skin tingle pleasantly.

He thought maybe Kise would say something, but the blonde didn’t. He only kept looking into his eyes, as if he was looking for something in his own. And for once… Kaiba was torn. He was a guarded person, the walls he built were high and thick. He hated the thought of people trying to peer into his thoughts and feelings, more so because they had so often been violated by those associated with magic.

But he knew Kise was looking for something on his face, and against all instinct, Kaiba decided to lower his wall, even just a bit, to let Kise find what he was looking for.

As the moment continued, perhaps Kise found what he was looking for after all, because he smiled softly, a different smile than the splitting grin Kaiba was used to always seeing on his face. This smile was a smile that reflected a similar warmth to the one reflected in his eyes, but not the same smile that had caused his heart to skip a beat in the past. This smile spoke of something like _trust_, and Kaiba suddenly felt warm.

And when Kise closed the gap once more, and this time it was his lips that closed in on his, the warmth only increased when he felt the soft press of his lips against his, and Kaiba relished the pleasure the simple touch did to him as he returned the kiss.

His own hands moved to touch Kise, one arm going behind Kise’s shoulders to draw him closer while his other hand came to rest on his hip as their kiss heated up gradually.

It wasn’t long before their hands began to explore each other again, and as their kissing became more passionate and their bodies reacted to the newfound desire, Kaiba rolled on top of Kise, eager to begin another round between them.

Perhaps he would stay the night after all.

* * *

As promised, Kise woke Kaiba up with some of the best head his talented mouth was capable of, and feeling particularly playful, soon after invited the brunette to shower with him. After the previous night they had, they both could use it.

Surprisingly enough, Kaiba agreed, which was why Kise was eagerly pulling Kaiba towards his bathroom before the brunette had a chance to change his mind.

He was glad that his apartment was clean considering he was barely home to clean, but the agency sent a cleaning agency once a week which was how Kise managed to have clean towels and a clean bathroom as they walked into the room across the hall. The walls were plain white, and the curtain was a neutral gray with some geometric designs on it, with his assortment of shampoos, conditioners, and other body care routines that Kise kept in the shower.

Both men were still nude from the previous night, and since they had already seen each other naked and neither shy by any means, they saw no need to cover up when they would have to undress anyway to take a shower.

With a hum Kise pulled the curtain to the side so he could reach in and turn the knobs to turn on the shower and set the temperature as Kaiba watched with an appreciative gaze as he watched Kise bend over the tub.

The water rushed from the overhead shower, and Kise turned around with a grin as he grabbed some towels from the cabinet above the toilet and hung them on the hooks on the wall next to the shower.

Testing the water with his hand to check it was just the right temperature, Kise looked back to Kaiba and motioned to the shower, before stepping over the side of the tub and into the shower.

As he stepped into the falling water, he could see a look of hesitation in Kaiba’s eyes, but Kise refused to let him change his mind.

So Kise closed his eyes and let the water wash over his head and down his body, and opening his eyes and putting on his best seductive face, Kise turned to look at Kaiba as he slicked his blonde hair away from his face.

“C’mon Kaibacchi… the water feels great.”

The effect was instantaneous, and Kaiba’s gaze hardened as he watched the water trail down Kise’s defined body, and Kise grinned victoriously as Kaiba finally relented and stepped in.

Pleased, Kise smiled and playfully tugged Kaiba under the spray of the showerhead with him, so that their heads were close together but Kaiba received most of the warm spray of water until his hair was completely wet and slicked against his forehead, so that the brown locks almost covered his eyes.

With a chuckle, Kise reached up and slicked his hair back, so that Kaiba’s face was free of the wet hair and Kise felt himself flush at the sight of Kaiba’s piercing blue eyes that looked back at him. The sun that streamed in from the bathroom window reflected off those eyes, so that they looked as bright as what Kise remembered the ocean looked like on a cloudless day.

“What the hell Kaibacchi… how can you look so good with your hair slicked back? Do you style it like that often?”

Kaiba raised an eyebrow at Kise’s clearly flustered words, and the red on his cheeks certainly wasn’t from the water on them.

Now that he thought about it… Kaiba had never cared to wear his hair any other way than he always did, and he was never one to see his reflection in the mirror often, so he wasn’t sure what he looked like in Kise’s eyes.

But he did enjoy his reaction.

“Not ever, no.”

Kise blinked, his head already picturing Kaiba in all kind of scenarios with his hair like that.

“Well, if you ever did and wore a suit… I don’t think I would be able to look away from you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Kaiba said as he pulled Kise under the showerhead, so that the water poured over his head and the unexpected motion made him splutter as the water ran over his face.

Kise just grinned and stuck his head out of the way of the water so that it trailed on his back instead, his arm reaching over to grab his favorite shampoo that smelled fresh and natural, like the smell of grass after rain.

Squeezing out a gracious dollop onto his palm, Kise put back the bottle and rubbed it between his palms before he reached towards Kaiba, who only watched him warily as Kise ran his shampoo covered hands into Kaiba’s hair, and began to gently massage it into the brown locks.

Kise was surprised that Kaiba was letting him lather on the shampoo with no resistance, going as far as to close his eyes and let Kise continue to rub the shampoo into his scalp until there was ample suds and the hair was completely covered with the substance. Kise was almost tempted to shape the hair into a funny shape, but something told him he should take it easy with Kaiba and not push his luck.

“Ah, I forgot to bring my phone to play music,” Kise said aloud as the thought crossed his mind.

Kaiba opened his eyes and looked at Kise, and Kise was careful to make sure the suds didn’t come close to his eyes.

“Why am I not surprised you sing in the shower.”

Kise grinned at Kaiba’s reply.

“Of course! Singing in the shower is the best time to sing… well besides Karaoke.”

Kaiba made a noise of understanding.

“What kind of music do you listen to?”

Kise grinned at Kaiba’s question. It was cute to see him look embarrassed to ask. He really wasn’t used to initiating conversations. But Kise wasn’t going to let his effort go to waste.

Not wanting Kaiba to get cold, Kise switched them around so that Kaiba was again under the shower, and the brunette was smart enough to close his eyes as the water washed over him, and Kise continued to lather his hair, this time to wash away the shampoo.

“Well, I like all kinds of music. But my favorites would have to be Jpop, Western Pop, and Latin music. There, no more shampoo.”

As the suds were washed away, Kise gave Kaiba room to stick his head out of the spray and run onto his torso instead, and Kise was surprised to see Kaiba reach for the same bottle of shampoo and pour it onto his own hand. Kise blushed as he watched Kaiba repeat what he had done, and begin to lather the shampoo into his own hair this time.

Kise hummed contentedly as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of Kaiba’s fingers run through his hair and into his scalp, and if Kise was capable of purring, he was sure that’s what he would be doing just then.

“Latin? That’s unexpected.”

Kise grinned but didn’t open his eyes as Kaiba continued to massage his head.

“Yeah… I love the beats, and I think Latin dancing is some of the best and sexiest.”

“You know how to dance to it?”

Kise grinned with pride.

“Yep! I’ve watched videos and practiced by myself in the past. But not a lot of people in Japan know it or even play it… so I mostly just do it at home alone when I’m in the mood.”

“I see… I have a vacation home in Nicaragua. Mokuba goes there often when he’s on break from school. They have a lot of local clubs, you’d like it there.”

This time, Kise did open his eyes as he looked at Kaiba, who paused and just as he had done before, switched them around so that Kise was under the spray, and Kaiba worked to lather off the suds.

When he was done, Kise cleared his eyes of the water and looked at Kaiba.

“That sounds awesome, do you go there often? Do you speak Spanish then?”

Now, Kise reached for the conditioner, and grinned as Kaiba eyed it more wearily than he had the shampoo.

“C’mon Kaibacchi… don’t tell me you use that two-in-one shampoo crap… you need proper hair products to take care of your hair,” Kise chided, knowing what Kaiba was probably thinking of as he added the creamier product onto his hand.

Kaiba just rolled his eyes and let the blonde do as he pleased.

“Anyway, answer my questions.”

Kaiba frowned at Kise, who seemed unaffected by his look as he continued to put in the product into his hair.

“The first and only time I’ve gone was during Mokuba’s last visit. And yes, Spanish is one of my more fluent languages.”

Kise grinned as he finished spreading the creamy liquid into Kaiba’s hair and pulled his hands away, this time reaching for his loofa and grabbing the body wash from his assortment of products and pouring some onto the purple loofa.

“You gotta let the conditioner settle for a few minutes before washing it off. You would know if you used it properly,” Kise teased as he then began to rub the loofa across Kaiba’s chest.

Kaiba resisted the urge to shiver as Kise gently moved the loofa over his body, as he guided it down his torso, up his sides, and down his arms.

“You should teach me Spanish Kaibacchi. I know a bit from listening to the music, but it’s only a few words here and there. I’m pretty fluent in English though. I’ve always been the best speaker in my classes.”

Kise nudged Kaiba to turn around, so that his back was turned to him, and then began to rub the loofa across his back. The feeling of Kise’s hand guiding the loofa over his skin caused Kaiba to feel warm despite his skin feeling cold from not being under the warm spray of water.

“Hm. I’m not a very good teacher. How would you like to go to Nicaragua instead? The locals would love to teach you the language. That’s how Mokuba got so good at it.”

Kise blinked at Kaiba’s suggestion.

“Well Kaibacchi… unless you’re offering to take me… I don’t think that’s a possibility for me at the moment. Unlike you… I’m not exactly made of money.”

There was a moment of silence, and Kise enjoyed the motion of washing Kaiba’s back and arms, but paused when Kaiba turned around to face him again and grabbed the loofa gently from his grasp, and Kise let him switch them around so that once more Kaiba was the one under the spray of the showerhead.

“I don’t see why not. Are you free next weekend?”

Kise felt his eyes widen as he looked at Kaiba in shock, not quite believing he heard right.

“Wait… really? You want to take me to Nicaragua?”

Kaiba shrugged.

“It’s not a big deal. I have my personal jet ready anytime, and a house already there. And it’s a three-day weekend. You’d be back in time for school.”

Kise blinked at Kaiba in disbelief. Was this real? But how could it not be? Hadn’t this been the same man who took him into outer space and to a different dimension? Why did it seem more shocking for him to offer to take him to a country just across the world? Something much more feasible in comparison?

“Are you serious?”

This time, Kaiba glared indignantly in his direction, and Kise couldn’t help but laugh.

“Sorry, sorry! I know you don’t kid. It’s just… it’s not everyday a someone offers to take you to a country across the world. Then again… you _are_ the one that ended up taking me to a different dimension.”

Kaiba said nothing as he put the loofa back where Kise had grabbed it from, only to wash his hair free of the conditioner Kise had put on him, and Kise watched entranced at the sight of Kaiba under the running water, and felt himself warm up at the enticing sight of the water dripping down his slim but defined body. Kise bit his lip and fought down his arousal before it got out of hand. He wouldn’t mind starting something, but at the same time, he was enjoying the simple action of washing each other. It was easy and carefree, intimate in a different kind of way, especially since he got the impression that Kaiba hadn’t done this with someone before. It made feel Kise feel special to think he was the first person Kaiba had ever showered with. Whether that was true or not… was another thing altogether.

After washing off the conditioner, Kaiba once more turned his attention to Kise, and again, reached for the conditioner and repeated the action on the blonde, making Kise smile happily as he welcomed the touch.

“Well, I don’t have anything going on. If you really don’t mind taking me across the world, I won’t say no,” Kise said happily.

He was lying. He knew he had a basketball practice next weekend, but like hell would he pass up the chance to go to another country with Kaiba. He would make up the practice when he got back. His team and coach would not be happy at all, but Kise’s resolve was stronger than ever, and he would make sure a mini vacation would not interfere with his goal. After all, how often did someone get the chance to travel to another country at the expense of a handsome CEO? It was something people only dreamed about and read in trashy romance novels.

Kaiba made a noise of acknowledgment as he once more grabbed the loofa and body wash, creating suds under the water before beginning to return the favor and washing Kise’s torso and arms.

“It’s settled then. I’ll make the arrangements. Be ready to leave Friday night.”

Kise flushed and nodded.

“O-okay… thanks Kaibacchi.”

Kise’s sudden flustered state caused something to stir in Kaiba, as he began ran the loofa across Kise’s body and down his arms, he didn’t miss the subtle change in his breathing and the way Kise was now avoiding his gaze.

Realizing what was happening, Kaiba resisted the urge to grin, and merely continued what he was doing, but instead of turning Kise around to wash his back, Kaiba’s hand simply traveled lower, causing Kise to gasp and tense when Kaiba ran the loofa between his leg gently.

Kise’s face flushed a deeper red as he looked up at Kaiba, whose blue eyes now looked at him with an intensity that made Kise shiver and as a wave of arousal spread over him.

“Kaibacchi…” Kise moaned when Kaiba’s hand continue to rub against his sensitive flesh, and Kise’s body reacted instantly, his now hardening member becoming erect at Kaiba’s ministrations.

Kaiba turned them so that Kise was pushed up against the adjacent shower wall, and basked in the sound of Kise’s increasingly ragged breathing and sight of his unfocused eyes as he grabbed onto the top of Kaiba’s shoulders.

Satisfied with the amount of soap on Kise’s cock, Kaiba put the loofa behind Kise, and his other handed wrapped completely around Kise’s length, causing Kise to moan and huff at the pleasure the ran up his body at the touch.

The soap along his cock made it easy for Kaiba’s hand to pump up and down his length, and before long Kise was panting and thrusting against his hand, lost to the arousal and pleasure that Kaiba was giving him.

Unable to resist the look on his face, Kaiba leaned down and captured Kise’s lips with his own, pleased when Kise eagerly kissed back, and immediately sought out his tongue with his own. Kaiba didn’t hold back, kissing him as he planned to devour the younger man, his hand never once losing its rhythm as Kise continued to thrust against him.

The feel of the water along his back was second to the feel of Kise’s lips and tongue and the thrusting of his cock against his hand, and Kaiba had no intention to hold back Kise’s orgasm this time, and quickly increased his pace so that Kise was panting hard against him.

“Go ahead and cum when you want to,” Kaiba urged as he breathed against Kise’s lips, and Kise’s golden eyes looked wantonly at him as he nodded slightly.

It wasn’t long before Kise’s thrust against this hand became erratic, and as his grip on his shoulders tightened, and as the look on his face became more unfocused, Kaiba knew Kise was on the edge.

Skillfully, Kaiba’s other hand reached to cup Kise’s balls, and Kise moaned loudly as Kaiba stroked at the sensitive flesh between his balls and his ass with one of his fingers.

Kise bit his lip and arched up against Kaiba, his eyes glazed over with pleasure at Kaiba’s ministrations, and it didn’t take long after the added stimulation for Kise’s orgasm to hit him full force.

With a loud cry that echoed through the bathroom, Kise’s hips spasmed against Kaiba’s hand, and he came into Kaiba’s hand and onto his own torso as he leaned his forehead against Kaiba’s shoulder.

Kaiba watched Kise ride out his orgasm, the blonde relaxing under him as his breathing slowed, his eyes closed and his head tilted back from the pleasure he was feeling.

Kaiba was aroused and hard himself, but he ignored it as he watched Kise come down from his high, and in a moment the blonde opened his eyes to look up at him.

By then, Kaiba was already reaching for the loofa he had put away, and once more ran the object across Kise’s newly soiled skin, and also pushed him under the water to properly wash him.

Kise blushed at the care Kaiba was taking with him, his chest warm with something other than post-coital high.

Noticing Kaiba’s own aroused state, Kise moved to reach for him, his hands pressing against his chest and trailing down slowly, but was surprised when Kaiba stopped him just as he reached his navel.

Kise looked at the brunette with confusion, and Kaiba shook his head.

“If you do that, we’re never going to leave this shower,” Kaiba answered his silent question.

“So? I want to return the favor…” Kise replied with a frown.

“You already thanked me this morning… or did you forget?”

Kise blushed as he remembered the way he had woken Kaiba up, particularly proud that he had been able to fulfill his promise. He had thought Kaiba would wake up before him, but thankfully, that wasn’t the case.

“Didn’t you say something about making breakfast?”

Kise visibly perked at the mention of food and it seemed that was all he needed to be convinced as he took his hands away from Kaiba.

With that, Kise finished washing off first, and Kaiba told him to go on ahead, and he would be out shortly.

Kise figured Kaiba would take care of himself before getting out, but he let him do as he pleased in favor of starting to make breakfast, but not before teasingly raking his fingers along his still hardened length.

Kaiba glared at Kise who only grinned and winked before stepping out of the shower and grabbing one of the towels to run over his head and wrap around his body.

“Don’t take too long Kaibacchi,” Kise said playfully as he walked out of the room.

Kaiba sighed as Kise closed the door behind him, and tilted his head back as he let the water fall over his face run down his body, his hands running through his hair.

What the hell was he doing?

But as his hand made his way down to grasp at his still hardened cock, the picture of Kise’s mouth around it came to mind as he was reminded of the way the blonde had so pleasantly woken him up, and as he replayed the memories of that moment in his head, it didn’t take long for him to find his release.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kaiba: Oh, you want to practice speaking Spanish and dance to Latin music? No biggie, let's take a trip to Nicaragua on my private jet to my vacation house. No I don't like you or anything, its just practical. That's what friends do right?
> 
> Pfffft. What a fucking Kaiba thing to do, just casually take someone across the globe because they mention liking something in passing. You ain't fooling anyone buddy.
> 
> Seriously though, the main reason I chose the setting of this pairing during Kise's last year of HS was for THIS. One of the reasons I thought Kise and Kaiba would be a good fit was because Kaiba would be a grounding force for Kise, and can tell Kise his exact insecurities and subconscious reasons(in this case the block that has kept him from winning against Aomine). Kaiba is an amazing judge of character and understands peoples internal conflicts(even if he's not good at dealing with his own internalized feelings), and has the logical mind to tell Kise exactly why he hasn't won with absolute certainty, and because Kise has absolute trust in Kaiba's reasoning, he would believe him without a shred of doubt, and why Kaiba's encouragement means more to him than anything anyone else could ever say, because Kaiba speaks FACTS, not feelings.
> 
> On the other hand, Kise is the opposite, and does what his feelings tell him to do. Kise wears his emotions on his sleeve around those he trusts and accepts(when he's not wearing his mask around the general public), so Kaiba knows that whatever Kise is showing him is the real thing, so he doesn't question Kise's emotions or motives after accepting Kise as someone he trusts. And because Kise is so receptive and open about his feelings, Kaiba slowly tries to meet him half-way as a sign of faith, which slowly opens him up to Kise and forces him to actually evaluate his own internalized feelings that he buries because what's the point? He's doing fine the way he is and no one has given him reason to think otherwise. Feelings just get in the way. But seeing Kise's own feelings on the matter give Kaiba an idea on how he SHOULD feel about it, and because he trusts Kise, it actually reaches him and has weight to it.   
Not to mention, Kise's more adventurous side would definitely break Kaiba's monotonous life and force him to actually enjoy life instead of being constantly focused on work, while Kaiba would be a motivating factor for Kise to actually strive for something and to have a sense of direction instead of just going with the flow and not having any idea what he should do. 
> 
> IN CONCLUSION, Kaiba and Kise are my new OTP and thank you to everyone who has stuck with me through this adventure and keeps up with my story. I never imagined getting 600+ hits in only a few months time for a complete crack crossover fic like this one. I'm honestly really proud of this fic and how it came together. And just wait till you see what I have in mind for the climax.
> 
> Also, I really enjoyed writing that shower scene. 
> 
> Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.


	30. Promises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter feels like a filler chapter to me but still necessary so enjoy. Next chapter is very special to me and I can't wait to share with you guys. It'll also be my longest chapter yet and probably the longest in the entire story but we're catching up to the point I'm at with writing so it might be too soon to tell haha.

There were only a handful of dishes that Kise was comfortable making, but thanks to his mom and sisters, most of them were breakfast items, which was why he felt comfortable making breakfast for Kaiba and himself that morning.

They had woken up early considering how late they had stayed up the night before, so it was still breakfast by the time Kise changed into some sporty sweatpants and a plain white t-shirt. He was considerate enough to fold Kaiba’s clothing and place it on the bed for when he came back. He wasn’t sure if Kaiba would want to wear his own clothes, but Kise still left some of his own clothes in case Kaiba chose to wear something fresh instead.

Kise decided to make strawberry crepes with a side of scrambled eggs and sausage links, the ingredients he made sure to always have stocked since he considered it his comfort food.

Before long, the ingredients were gathered and he got to work, wearing his favorite yellow apron.

Ten minutes later Kaiba came out from his room and walked into the kitchen, and Kise looked up from his work to greet him with a smile.

He felt his body freeze at the sight of Kaiba wearing the fresh clothes Kise had set out for him, and his stomach did a funny flip. There was something so… attractive about seeing Kaiba in something so relaxed… even more so because it was Kise’s clothes he was wearing. He had never seen Kaiba wear sweats and a t-shirt, and Kise had to admit that it looked good on the CEO.

“You look good in that Kaibacchi,” Kise commented aloud as he continued to stir the scrambled eggs.

Kaiba eyed the figure of Kise cooking at the stove and chose to sit down at the table tucked into the corner of the medium sized kitchen. The fact that Kise knew how to cook was still surprising to him, but he guessed it was something he had to learn living by himself. He looked happy as he tended to the different pans, and he had to admit the aroma coming from the food was appetizing. It certainly didn’t smell burnt.

The truth was, their actions from the previous night had been less than kind on his outfit, and Kaiba hadn’t been able to find it in himself to wear the soiled clothes. Which was why he had chosen to wear the clothing that Kise had left out from his own closet.

“Do you drink coffee Kaibacchi?” Kise asked from over his shoulder.

“I do.”

“Great, I’ll make you a cup. I don’t drink it often myself, only when I’m so tired I feel I can’t do anything.”

Kaiba watched as Kise walked over to a cupboard and took out a kettle, then went over to the sink and filled it with water before placing it over the heat of the stove.

“My mom always told me that pour-over coffee was the best cup of coffee, and I have to agree. Growing up I always wanted to help her make it so I got pretty good and can make a mean cup now. This is the only way I can drink it now.”

Kaiba continued to watch Kise work but said little in return.

Before long, the blonde started on the crepes, and Kaiba watched in fascination as he poured the batter over a round griddle next to the stove and used a T-shaped stick to spread the batter around.

The blonde hummed as he worked, as he flipped the thin material over and once it was done transferred it over to a plate. The process continued until the batter was used up. Afterwards, the blonde moved to the refrigerator where he pulled out some more ingredients, and Kaiba watched as Kise pulled out some more plates and began to put together the newly made crepes, strawberries, and some kind of white cream, before rolling them up and putting three on a plate.

Kaiba had had crepes before of course, but he had never seen the process of making them. From how effortlessly and quickly Kise had made them, it told him he must make them often, and before long, Kise was approaching him with a full plate of the crepes, scrambled eggs, and sausage, and placed it in front of him, as well as a fork and knife.

“How do you like your coffee Kaibacchi?” Kise asked.

“Black will do,” Kaiba replied, and Kise nodded.

Rather than touch his food, Kaiba continued to watch Kise as he walked back to the kettle and transferred the hot water over to a different steel container with a thin spout. Then he pulled out two cups and something like looked like two funnels as well as what he recognized as a paper filter and ground coffee.

The blonde was humming again as he scooped the grounds onto the filter and funnels, which he then placed over the cups and began to slowly pour the hot water over the grounds, moving his hands over the cup in what looked like calculative circles and changing the speed of the stream of water. He did it for both cups, and when he was done, he placed the water container down and left the funnel over the cups while he fixed his own plate.

When that was finished, he cleaned up the coffee ingredients and grabbed the cups of coffee to bring over to the table, placing one next to Kaiba’s plate and the other across where he would be sitting.

“Let me know how you like it,” Kise said with a smile before heading back to get his plate.

As he did, Kaiba decided to go ahead and try the coffee, not sure what to expect as he grabbed the cup and brought it to his lips, careful not to burn himself with the hot liquid as he took a sip.

His eyes widened as the liquid touched his tongue, the liquid hot but not enough to the point he couldn’t taste the flavor. Kaiba consumed plenty of caffeine to know the difference between a good cup and a bad cup… and this… this was something else.

As Kise sat down across from him with his own plate, Kaiba set the cup down gently.

“It’s… good. Really good.”

Kise smiled brightly, but didn’t seem surprised at the compliment, even coming from Kaiba himself.

“Told you I could make a mean cup.”

Kaiba was honestly surprised by how good the coffee was. He had certainly had good cups before, but those were usually at the higher end establishments.

“I can see that now.”

“The grounds are pretty fresh, which helps. I ground some the other day after I pulled an all nighter to study for a math test. Ugh. That was awful.”

“You really hate math, don’t you?”

Kise eyed him sardonically.

“Have I not made it obvious enough? I just don’t get it! I go over it a million times and it just never seems to make sense. I usually just get lucky during the tests when the practice problems end up on the test. I swear that’s the only reason I can just barely pass.”

“Have you thought about getting a tutor?” Kaiba asked, and Kise raised an eyebrow at the suggestion.

“A tutor? Kaibacchi, do you think I have the time and money for a tutor? I usually don’t get home till late after practice or modeling and there’s not a lot of tutors that want to make late house calls. Besides, I don’t think even a tutor would help me understand the monstrosity that is math.”

Kaiba took a bite of the food Kise made, pleased and surprised that it was also edible and tasty.

“I doubt you’re that hopeless.”

Kise grinned, a thought popping into his head.

“Well Kaibacchi… you do a lot of math for your job right?”

Kaiba eyed the blonde wearily but nodded.

“Quite a bit, yes.”

“Do _you_ want to tutor me? I’m sure you can think of some... _motivating_ _techniques_.”

Kise kept his suggestive gaze on Kaiba as he looked back at the blonde, his blue eyes calculative and guarded, before the brunette turned his attention back to his plate and coffee.

“Perhaps.”

Kise grinned triumphantly and continued eating his own food. Things truly were looking up

* * *

Kaiba didn’t stay long after eating, and as much as Kise would have liked him to stay longer, he knew that it was dangerous to ask Kaiba for any more than he was willing to do.

Since it took him _years_ to act on his last crush, and since he wasn’t one for casual sleeping around, what he had started with Kaiba was unexplored territory.

He knew he _liked_ Kaiba, and the more time he spent with him the more Kise found himself liking him. And while Kaiba seemed receptive to him and had accepted his friendship… and now they were even sleeping together… Kise didn’t want to push his luck or even get his hopes up.

Despite Kaiba’s recent actions towards him… Kise knew that Kaiba could change his mind at any moment. It was best to let things go at Kaiba’s pace and see where things went. They had a good thing so far, Kaiba had even invited to take him to Nicaragua! What more could Kise ask of him?

Still… as Kise went through his laundry, he couldn’t help but already miss Kaiba’s presence, especially as he placed his clothing in the piles he was making. He had told the brunette that he would wash his clothing and give them back to him the next time he saw him. Which was how he found himself separating his clothing to wash. It was about time he did laundry for the coming week anyway, even more so if they would be taking a trip that Kise would have to prepare for.

The idea of that still felt surreal, that he was going on an impromptu trip across the world with the brunette… but the excitement he felt at the thought was real all the same.

As Kise grabbed a pair of his pants and checked his pockets as he always did, he felt something small in one of them. As he took out the small object, Kise was surprised to find a gold ring with a string around it.

“This is the ring Priest Seto gave me...” Kise frowned as he looked at the ring in his palm.

He had completely forgotten that Priest Seto had entrusted him with this ring before he left the afterlife, but given what had happened between him and Kaiba that night, he hadn’t thought twice on the piece of jewelry.

He felt bad that he might have even thrown it into the laundry if he hadn’t checked, since this was something that Priest Seto obviously cherished.

As he looked at the ring, his curiosity got the better of him, and removing the ring, Kise slipped the ring into his ring finger on his right hand.

It was a perfect fit.

Kise admired the golden shiny metal on his hand, surprised that this five-thousand-year-old relic looked untouched by time.

Deciding he probably shouldn’t be wearing such a relic so carelessly, Kise moved to take it off, but frowned when it wouldn’t budge from his finger.

“What the...”

A moment of panic tugged at him as he continued to pull at the ring with no success, and after a while, went to the bathroom where he tried his luck using soap and water, only to be met with the same futile result.

“You gotta be kidding me...” Kise mumbled under his breath as he gave up on the soap and water and moved to his room, ready to try lotion next.

After ten minutes of trying with no success, Kise finally gave up before he did something stupid like take a knife to his finger, and decided it wasn’t worth it.

Maybe his fingers were swollen for some reason or other, and he’d just ask someone to help him take it off it he wasn’t able to. It wasn’t uncomfortable or cutting off his circulation so it wasn’t a big deal.

Finally returning to his task, Kise looked at his phone for any missed calls or messages, seeing that he indeed had a message from Momoi.

She texted him to tell him that he left his bags with them from the day before, and that she could drop them off whenever he had time.

Remembering the events of the day before, Kise felt bad for putting Momoi in the middle of his outburst at Aomine, and figured he owed her an apology. He didn’t have anything else planned for the day so it wouldn’t hurt to have her come over if she could.

* * *

Three hours later found Momoi knocking on Kise’s door, bags in her hand as she waited for the blonde to open the door.

She didn’t have to wait much, and before long Kise was opening the door, his face more subdued than usual as he greeted her with a small smile that lacked his usual energy.

It made Momoi’s shoulder slump slightly, but she forced herself to smile as she looked back at Kise.

“Hello Momocchi, come in,” Kise said as he stepped aside to give her room to step through.

Momoi smiled as she stepped in and took off her shoes.

“Thanks for having me, Kichan,” she politely replied, and let Kise take the bags from her as she stepped out of her shoes.

“No, thank _you_ for bringing my bags,” Kise said as he set the said bags on a nearby table.

“It’s was no problem… listen Ki—”

“I’m really sorry about—”

Both paused before they could finish, trying not to speak over the other, before they burst out laughing at the awkwardness of it.

“Sorry… Momocchi, I just want to apologize about how I stormed out yesterday… and for putting you in the middle of it. It doesn’t change the fact that I’m still angry at Aominecchi… but you shouldn’t have had to bring this over to me because of it…”

Momoi smiled softly at Kise, shaking her head.

“It’s really not a problem Kichan… and it’s okay about what happened… I understand where you’re coming from. So, you’re still angry?”

Kise sighed and rubbed the back of his head.

“To be honest… not so much anymore… I think I might have overreacted a bit… but it doesn’t change that what he said still rubbed me the wrong way. Anyway, do you want to sit and have something to drink? You came all the way here so it’s the least I can do to repay you.”

Momoi smiled and nodded.

“Sure, what do you have to drink?”

Kise led the way over to his kitchen and motioned for Momoi to sit while he went over to the refrigerator to see what he had in stock.

“I have apple juice, energy drinks, water, orange soda, I can also make tea.”

“I’ll take an orange soda, I don’t have those often.”

Kise smiled as he took out the can of soda and took it over to his pink haired friend as he sat across from her and slid it over.

“Do you want to talk about why what Daichan said bothered you?” Momoi asked as she opened her drink and took a sip, eyeing Kise carefully as he suddenly looked flustered.

“Um, I don’t think I really need to. I already talked it over with someone and came to terms with what to do about it…”

Kise’s evasive attitude rose flags in Momoi, but an idea was already formulating in her head.

“Oh I see… who did you talk to about it?”

Kise actually flushed, and that was all Momoi needed to see to know who it was he had spoken to.

“Ah, Kaibacchi, actually.”

Yep, just as she thought.

“I see… how are things going with him? You must be closer to him if you feel comfortable talking to him about your feelings,” Momoi pointed out.

Kise flushed even deeper, and Momoi couldn’t help but grin.

“Oooh, juicy stuff huh?” she teased.

“Ah… well… a lot has happened actually,” Kise said as he looked back at her, not sure where to even begin.

The last time he had talked to Momoi about Kaiba was shortly after they dueled and before… well everything. Before Kaiba’s accusation of using him to get ahead in his career and his apology and his finding out about Kaiba’s past, let alone the magical aspect of it all.

How could he even begin to talk about all that? Momoi would never believe half of it. So he figured it was best to just tell her what he could.

“Okay so… you know how I had that audition with his company not too long ago?”

Momoi nodded, and Kise sighed.

“Well I went and it turned out that the audition involved dueling, and it was this big elaborate way of winning a duel to get the part as a model, and I managed to get it. Then when I went to talk to Kaibacchi after it… it turns out he actually tried to sabotage my duel so I would lose.”

“Wait… what?!” Momoi exclaimed as she looked at Kise with wide eyes.

“Hold on… hear me out…” he said as he held up his hands as if to appease the shocked girl.

“I guess Kaibacchi thought that since I hadn’t told him I was auditioning for a part in his company… he thought I was using him and his brother Mokubacchi to get the part… so he thought the best way to find out my true intentions was to purposely have me lose…”

Momoi was frowning as she struggled to understand what Kise was telling him, but she was obviously not happy about it.

“Yeah, I was beyond pissed off. When he told me that I told him to forget about being friends and working for his company. I told him that I had really liked him as a person and everything I did was to be friends… but obviously I couldn’t forgive something like that… so I stormed out… heh… guess I’ve been doing that a lot lately…”

Momoi still said nothing as she continued to listen.

“Well a week later he ended up looking for me… and actually apologized for what he did and said. I guess it turns out he’s used to people trying to use him and ruin him… so he really didn’t think someone would want to be his friend… pretty sad huh?”

Momoi pursed her lips, and Kise could see she still wasn’t happy about his actions.

“I know how it sounds Momocchi… but Kaibacchi has actually been through _a lot_. It makes sense why he’s so aloof and doesn’t welcome even friendships… after everything he shared with me… I understand why he thought what he did. But to be honest… it actually made us closer.”

Finally, Momoi sighed, her posture relaxing.

“I see… well you know the situation more than I do Kichan. And since I personally haven’t interacted with him, all I can do is take your word for it until I meet him myself. Does this mean you decided to pursue things with him after all?”

Kise flushed again, and nodded sheepishly.

“Yeah actually… it looked like my age did matter to him. So, after I turned eighteen, we kind of… hooked up.”

Momoi’s eyes widened again, and she looked at Kise with her mouth wide open.

“No way! You’re serious?”

Kise nodded again.

“He came over last night, which is how we ended up talking about what happened with Aominecchi. He helped me see some things I hadn’t before about myself… and…”

Kise groaned as he laid his head down on the table.

“Momocchi I _really_ _really_ like him!” Kise moaned out, “but it’s Kaibacchi! He has more walls than the Great Wall of China!”

Momoi decided not to point out that said wall was really just one long wall as she saw the struggle in Kise’s eyes.

“I mean… all signs point to him liking me… it seems he’s done more for me than he’s done for most people… but… it’s _Kaibacchi_! What if he decides he wants nothing more with me, or if he doesn’t want anything more than something casual…”

Kise sighed, his eyes becoming unfocused as he looked blankly at the table.

“I guess I’m okay with something casual for now but… I can already tell I’m falling for him… and what if I get in too deep and Kaibacchi decides he doesn’t want anything to do with me after all…”

Momoi smiled sadly at her blonde friend, once again torn on her own feelings on the matter.

_Daichan… you really are an idiot…_

She sighed, choosing to put her own feelings on hold as she looked at Kise.

“Well Kichan… all relationships take a leap of faith when they start out. Not everyone is as aware of their feelings like you are… especially if what you say about Kaiba is true… he of all people seem pretty emotionally constipated…”

Kise chuckled dryly, not looking up from the table as he listened to Momoi’s words.

“But… like you said… if he’s done more for you than he has for others… then there’s a good chance that your feelings are reciprocated… maybe you just have to nudge him in the right direction. If he has no experience on the subject… then he’s definitely going to need some help figuring out his feelings. It just means that you’ll have to be the one to initiate everything. Maybe ask him on a date… don’t pressure him or anything. But at least that way you’re forward about your feelings, and if you really don’t want to risk getting hurt by becoming more attached then you already are… you’ll know to back off. Just test the waters, see how much he’s willing to do with you.”

Kise finally turned his attention to the pink-haired girl and eyed her warily.

“Momocchi… you’re so good at giving advice…”

Momoi blinked as she looked back at Kise, confused at why he was looking at her like he was.

“So why haven’t you followed your own advice with Kurokocchi?”

At his words, Momoi froze and flushed as she thought of her blue-haired crush of many years now.

“Um… well… it’s just…” the way she fidgeted in her seat caused Kise to laugh lightly.

“You’ve liked him since middle school and have taken even longer than I did with Aominecchi to ever say anything! What’s up with that? I know you’ve tried dating other guys, but you never seemed into them like you did with Kurokocchi.”

Momoi shrugged as she thought back to the few boys she had never been able to date for longer than a month. They had been nice and cute enough… but Kise was right, she had never liked them like she had Kuroko.

“I wish I could say Kichan. It’s just… hard when we don’t go to the same school anymore and the only time we really see each other is during basketball games or if he hangs out with me and Daichan. Tetsu has never shown any kind of interest in me… so I just figured it would be an unrequited kind of love. I’ve come to terms with that… and figured that my crush would just go away sooner or later. Unfortunately… that day hasn’t come yet.”

Kise frowned when Momoi sighed dejectedly.

“Well Momocchi… you’ve been my cheerleader through everything with Aominecchi… and now with Kaibacchi… so I’ll be your cheerleader with Kurokocchi! I don’t think you should give up on someone you’ve liked for so long… you were the one who helped me see that! I think you should be more forward with Kurokocchi, and make him see you as the woman you are! Kurokocchi is smart is some ways… but I think he’s pretty dense when it comes to women.”

“But I asked him on a date once! And it didn’t change anything…” Momoi mumbled.

“Yeah, that’s what you said! But when I asked him about it, he said you guys just hung out as friends!”

Momoi blinked.

“Wait… really?!”

Kise sighed, resisting the urge to laugh at Momoi’s defeated face.

“Tetsu really is dense…”

“See! That just means you have to try harder! Make him see you as more than just a friend!”

“So what do I do… it’s not like I haven’t been super obvious!”

Kise chuckled.

“Well maybe that’s the problem… maybe Kurokocchi thinks you’ve been joking this whole time. Knowing Kurokocchi… the best way to his heart is through little things and gestures… maybe just hang out with him more, just the two of you. Really get to know each other, and find things outside of basketball that you can connect over. And with time… maybe he’ll start to see you differently.”

Momoi didn’t look completely convinced, and Kise rolled his eyes.

“Don’t look at me like that Momocchi. How about this… let’s make a promise! We’ll both confess to the person we like before we graduate. Until then… we’ll do what we can to have them return our feelings. After all… all’s fair in love and war, right?”

“Easy for you to say Kichan… you’re already hooking up with your crush!”

Kise grinned at the reminder.

“All the more reason for you to try harder!”

Momoi sighed again, but Kise was happy to see her steel her resolve as she squared her shoulders and sat up straighter.

“Fine… you’re right. Let’s do our best!”


	31. Nicaragua

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gahhh, I have so much to say about this chapter, so allow me to gush. 
> 
> The trip to Nicaragua was one of the very first scenes I had planned between Kaiba and Kise when I first thought of this story years ago, the trip that Kaiba and Mokuba took early on was basically to set up this chapter, and I can't believe it took me THIRTY-ONE chapters to finally get to this point. 
> 
> Since Kise has a talent for movements, one of my headcannons is that of course that means he's a naturally good dancer, and I always thought he would be an amazing Latin music dancer. Latin dance is one of my favorite things in the world, I think its so sensual but rhythmic and I think Kise would just be so good at it.
> 
> So basically, I suggest you go on youtube and look up Latin dances, especially bachata and cumbia, it might help picture the scene for this chapter.
> 
> There are also two songs in this chapter that I consider the Anthems to Kaiba and Kise in this fic.
> 
> 1\. Despacito by Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee  
I'm sure most of you have heard this song at one point or another, thanks to Biebs, but I prefer the original version. I did include lyrics, but I went ahead and did the English translation for you guys as close as possible to the original meaning(some things were a little hard to translate in a way that it didn't sound weird so I made due). Idk why but everytime this song would pop up while I was writing this fic it made me so excited and like... you'll see.
> 
> 2\. Common by Zayn  
Can I just say Zayn Malik's album Icarus Falls is just pure SEX. I literally listen to just this album while writing out the sexy scenes between these two boys, and Common just seemed like the perfect song for those two, so of course I had to add it to this. 
> 
> Since this was one of the original scenes I had in mind in the early stages of this fic and a huge motivating factor to get here, one I wasn't willing to sacrifice as the story changed and morphed away from the original plan and to what it is now, it holds a special place in my heart.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy it and the feelings I tried to convey reach you :)

* * *

It was the promised Friday of their trip to Nicaragua, and Kaiba was finishing up what work he could before he went away for the extended holiday. He would be leaving early in light of his plans and was going over his priority emails.

It was how he came about an invitation that was forwarded to him from the Domino Museum, and his eyes narrowed as he read over the contents of the email.

** _Domino Museum Limited Time Special Exhibit_ **

** _Saturday, XX-XX-XXXX_ **

** _18:30-22:30, Domino City_ **

** _You are cordially invited to our exclusive event!_ **

** _Domino Museum is proud to host a very special and exclusive exhibit. We welcome you to behold the oldest artifacts from the very first human civilization on Earth, Mesopotamia!_ **

** _Be the first to lay eyes on what this exhibit has to offer before the general public. This exclusive black-tie event will allow guests to enjoy an elegant cocktail area fit for a king!_ **

** _Enjoy a decadent dinner surrounded by priceless treasures while a special speaker takes you back more than 5000 years into the past._ **

The emails went on to list some more details, and Kaiba was weary of the coincidence of this event… after all… Mesopotamia was the civilization of the once King Gilgamesh. Was it mere coincidence that this event was happening just as he found out that Kise was the reincarnation of said King?

Kaiba sighed as he reclined in his chair.

His past had made him overly paranoid when it came to that Museum and anything related with the past, and it was foolish. Surely this exhibit had been planned for a long time, and it really was coincidence that it came to his attention after the events of going to the afterlife.

If anything, it was a good opportunity for Kise to learn more about the past he seemed so interested in, and he was sure the blonde would be happy to go to the event.

Not to mention, he knew the only reason he received invitations of this kind was in hopes that they could rope him into being a donor, and nothing more.

Usually invitations like these didn’t interest him, but lucky for them, it interested him for other reasons.

With that in mind, Kaiba went ahead and RSVP’d to the invitation, along with a plus one.

Honestly, this kid was beginning to be more irritating than he expected, making him do things he normally wouldn’t do.

* * *

Kise hummed happily as he finished checking his bag to make sure he had everything he needed. He had researched the climate they would be having while in Nicaragua and picked his clothes accordingly.

He was expecting Kaiba to pick him up in ten minutes, and from his apartment Kaiba had told him they would be flying out of Tokyo since it was the nearest airport.

Kise had never traveled out of the country before, and he was both nervous and excited about it. He had debated all week if he should tell his family about it, but because of his… _relationship_… with Kaiba, it still felt safer to keep their activities together as secret as possible, so the only one he told of his plans to had been Momoi, since she was the only one who knew the truth. She had told him to be careful and to check in with her often, and Kise agreed.

He had also decided not to say anything to his coach and would just tell him he was sick and couldn’t make practice rather than come up with a more elaborate lie. It wouldn’t be so farfetched, considered how foggy he had felt all week. He really was beginning to think he was catching a spring cold from how he had felt under-the weather for the past few days. He had made sure to drink plenty of Vitamin C and stay hydrated, and hopefully that would be enough to hold off his cold, if at least for the weekend.

The inter-high was in two weeks, and he needed to be at one hundred percent by then.

As a glint from his hand caught his gaze, Kise frowned when he looked at the ring still on his hand. He still hadn’t been able to take it off, but because of everything going on, finding a way to take off the ring was at the bottom of his list of priorities.

Making sure all major appliances were turned off, Kise graved his medium sized bag and made his way downstairs to wait for Kaiba’s car.

It wasn’t long before the familiar sight of Kaiba’s car rolled up, and Kise smiled widely as the driver stepped out to greet Kise and take his bag to put in the trunk.

“Thanks Tanaka,” Kise said as the older man smiled gently at him and nodded, and Kise opened the back door of the car to sit next to Kaiba.

“Good evening, Kaibacchi,” Kise greeted the stoic man, who met his gaze and only made a sound of acknowledgement at his arrival.

As Tanaka returned to the driver’s seat and pulled away towards their destination, Kise could feel his excitement building.

“Ah, I’m so excited for this trip Kaibacchi! I’ve never been out of the country and I’ve never flown either… well… if you don’t consider spaceships flying,” Kise amended, thinking back to their trip to Kaiba’s space station and the afterlife.

“I promise this flight won’t be as nausea inducing.”

“I’ll hold you to that!”

The trip to the airport was spent with Kaiba telling Kise the process of flying in a private jet and the difference between flying a commercial plane, and before Kise knew it, they had arrived and were making their way through the private terminal.

Their bags were taken for them, and as Kise followed Kaiba to the tarmac where the jet awaited them, Kise couldn’t help but take in the sight of the jet before them. If someone had told him that he would be flying a private jet with one of his childhood idols… Kise would have laughed.

Entering the jet, Kise couldn’t help but be impressed with the luxury accommodations of it. To be expected of Kaiba of course, but it still made Kise whistle as they stepped inside. The cabin was lined with elegant seating along the walls, wooden floors and accent walls. Not to mention, the back of the jet contained what looked like a full bar. If Kise hadn’t known any better, he would have never thought he was in a plane.

As Kaiba and Kise made their way towards the bar while they waited for take-off instructions, Kise continued to admire his surroundings as Kaiba prepared them a drink.

“Any particular drink requests?” Kaiba asked, and Kise brought his attention back to the brunette.

“Actually… yeah. How about pineapple juice and coconut rum? Since we’re going to a tropical location… it seems only right to start the trip with a fruity drink.”

Kaiba nodded and Kise couldn’t help but be surprised that Kaiba was making the drinks himself. He had honestly expected Kaiba to have a personal bartender, but Kaiba had said he preferred to fly with minimal staff, and the pilots always stayed in their cabin.

As they sipped their drinks, it wasn’t long before the pilots began their takeoff instructions, and Kaiba and Kise strapped in while the jet took off.

Kise looked out the window like an excited child as he felt the jet begin its trek down the runway and watched through the windows as it began its ascent. He felt the pressure in his ears for only a moment as he took in the sight of Tokyo as the jet rose in altitude. The sun hadn’t yet set, but the lights of the city were already on, and it was still a magnificent sight to behold, as were the clouds in the sky once the plane reached the target height and leveled out.

The pilot let them know it was safe to move about, and Kise grinned excitedly at Kaiba as he unbuckled his seat belt. He knew they would have plenty of time to kill, but Kise had already told Kaiba it would be spent watching his favorite movies, and of course… _other _fun activities. To which Kaiba hadn’t seemed opposed to. Thankfully, his jet was fully equipped with a private bedroom, and Kise planned to use it to the fullest.

“So Kaibacchi, you ready to watch Top Gun?”

Kaiba looked unimpressed as he looked at the blonde.

“What’s this movie about again?”

Kise rolled his eyes.

“You really do live under a rock. Top Gun is an American Classic! It has Tom Cruise who plays a fighter jet pilot. Actually, this movie made me want to be a pilot when I watched it! Although... I’m not sure about a fighter pilot...”

“Sure, whatever, here,” Kaiba tossed Kise the remote and motioned to the TV mounted on one of the walls across the seating in the bar area, and Kise quickly familiarized himself with the controls and pulled up a site that would play the movie.

As the movie began to play, Kise made an appreciative noise at Tom Cruise’s appearance.

“I gotta say, Tom Cruise sure aged like fine wine.”

Kaiba watched the screen as the events of the story unfolded, and although it was an older movie, he knew who Tom Cruise was, and indeed he was much younger in this movie.

“Have you been with women before?” Kaiba asked curiously.

Kise blinked at the question, but grinned.

“No actually. I think women are beautiful, and being a model means keeping the appearance of being attainable to them, so I have to be polite and receptive to their attention... but as far as being with one... no thank you. I’m only attracted to men, and I’ve only ever had one boyfriend.”

“Who was that?”

Kaiba watched with interest as Kise fidgeted in his seat, suddenly looking sheepish.

Kise for his part, was surprised by Kaiba’s unexpected questions. And although it was a topic he rather not have, he didn’t want to lie to Kaiba either.

“Um... Aominecchi actually...” Kise confided softly.

Kaiba knew he shouldn’t have been surprised, he had gotten the feeling from the way the two behaved that they were particularly close, and now he knew why.

“I liked him since middle school, and we started dating our second year of high school... but he broke up with me a few months ago.”

So, it was a recent relationship... and something unpleasant stirred inside Kaiba at the thought.

“Why did you guys break up?”

Again, Kise fidgeted, and this time he looked almost sad, and now Kaiba was even more uneasy.

“I... I don’t know actually. Aominecchi just told me he didn’t think we should be together anymore, and I didn’t want to ask why...”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes as a thought came to mind.

“Do you still have feelings for him?”

Again, Kise looked conflicted, but after only a moment of hesitation, he answered.

“Its hard to say... I’m still sad about us not working out, since I liked him for so long. I would like to say that I’m completely over him, but I don’t think that would be the truth.”

Kise was clearly uncomfortable, he didn’t exactly plan on telling Kaiba about his past relationship with Aomine. He didn’t want Kaiba to think he was using him to get over Aomine either, but he also didn’t want to lie to Kaiba. After all, he had given him his trust, and Kise had no intention of breaking it, even if it meant coming clean about his lingering feelings for Aomine. 

“How about you Kaibacchi? Do _you _like women? And have you dated anyone?”

Kaiba took a sip of the dark drink in his hand, his gaze going back to the movie that had been forgotten while they talked.

“I have no preference, and I’m not exactly the _dating type_.”

Kise felt his heart sink, but he tried not to show his disappointment as he took a sip of his own drink, but he didn’t want to let the conversation die there so he forced himself to ask the next question.

“Do you think you would _ever _date someone?”

Kaiba seemed to contemplate the question, and Kise waited with a racing heart as he tried to keep his cool.

“It’s hard to see myself in a committed relationship. I doubt I’d be a very good boyfriend or husband honestly. But I do have to think about an heir to the company. I’d prefer to keep the company within the family rather than let some corporate stooge take over. Of course, I know I don’t have to have my own kid. If Mokuba has a capable kid that would be interested in taking over, I’d accept it. And I could always adopt someone capable too.”

Kise blinked at Kaiba’s answer, honestly not expecting the lengthy response.

“Ah, you’ve really thought about it, huh?”

Kaiba shrugged.

“The company has always been my priority, and most of my plans involve its future and expansion.”

Kise smiled, how typical of Kaiba.

“Well, whoever takes over, they’ll have some large shoes to fill.”

They lapsed into silence after that, their attention turned towards the movie again, and Kise excitedly pointed out some fun facts he knew about the production of the movie and his favorite scenes. After the movie ended, Kise pressed Kaiba for his own favorite movie, but it seemed Kaiba really didn’t watch movies often, and had Kise pick out the next one.

Kise ended up choosing Pan’s Labyrinth, and kept it in the original Spanish, telling Kaiba that he might as well get a head start on trying to understand what he could of the language if the main goal of their trip was to try and practice what little he knew of it.

When the pale man showed up, Kise used the excuse of being afraid to sit next to Kaiba and grab onto his arm for comfort, to which Kaiba had just rolled his eyes but didn’t push him away. Kise spent the rest of the movie snuggled against Kaiba’s side, who ended up putting an arm around him, and by the end of the movie, Kise was practically bawling as tears ran down his face.

“Idiot... it’s just a movie,” Kaiba chastised as the blonde held tighter onto his shirt and sniffled.

“B-but Kaibacchi... that’s so _sad_!”

Kaiba sighed as he grabbed a tissue from the stand next to him and handed it over to the blonde, who dabbed at his eyes but didn’t move from his place on Kaiba’s side. Thankfully his tears didn’t last long, and Kise breathed deeply to compose himself.

“I didn’t think that movie would be so good...” the blonde said as the credits came to an end.

Even Kaiba had to admit that it was indeed an interesting movie and concept. It had held his attention all throughout, which didn’t happen often with movies. But perhaps part of the reason was due to having a certain blonde next to him that made it hard to move away to do anything else.

They were now halfway to their destination, and Kaiba asked Kise if he was hungry.

“Are you offering to cook Kaibacchi?” Kise asked with an excited glint in his eyes.

“No. I don’t cook. But there's stuff you can heat up in the fridge.”

Kise made a noise of contemplation.

“Do you have whipped cream?” he asked with a coy look in his eye that made Kaiba raise an eyebrow.

“Whipped cream?”

Kise nodded.

“Mhmm. I have a certain snack in mind that absolutely requires it.”

Still confused, Kaiba shrugged and told Kise to check the fridge.

Reluctantly, Kise pulled away from Kaiba and made his way over to the tucked in kitchenette past the bar, and was pleasantly surprised to find that indeed, whoever stocked the fridge had thought to include whipped cream, and with a grin, made his way back to Kaiba who seemed to be checking his phone.

Feeling particularly daring, Kise climbed onto Kaiba’s lap and straddled him, causing the brunette to look up at him with a questioning look in his eye.

“Found the whipped cream,” Kise said as he shook the can in his hand, and Kaiba knew what the blonde had in mind.

“And what snack requires whipped cream?” Kaiba edged on, his hands travelling up Kise’s thighs only to rest on his backside.

Kise grinned wickedly as he uncapped the can and shook the can some more, before pressing the nozzle and letting some whipped cream fall onto his fingers.

“That depends on you Kaibacchi. Do _you_ want to be the snack, or do you want _me_ to be the snack?”

Kaiba smirked up at the blonde, enjoying this mischievous side of him, and tugged him closer to create the friction between them that sent a jolt of pleasure through their bodies.

“Hm. That’s a difficult choice to make.”

Kise watched with heated eyes as one of Kaiba's hands moved to grab the hand with whipped cream on his fingers, only to bring his fingers towards him and take them into his mouth. Kise made a chocked noise at the feel of Kaiba’s lips circling the whipped cream covered digits and felt his blood pump straight to his groin at the erotic sight. Kaiba’s wet tongue swirled around his fingers, and Kise felt his mind go blank at the sensation.

Kaiba watched as Kise’s eye grew heavy with lust, and the red that tinted his cheeks as his mouth went slack made Kaiba suck harder on his fingers, the sweet taste of the whipped cream only adding to the desire he felt.

Kaiba slowly took out Kise’s fingers from his mouth and licked his lips as they came free.

Kise moaned in the back of his throat.

“I changed my mind, I want _you_ to be the snack.”

With more force than Kaiba expected, Kise pushed him back against the seat behind him, and tugged off the black shirt over his head, and as soon as he was shirtless Kaiba let Kise run his hand along the exposed skin of his torso.

Kaiba’s hands once more rested on Kise’s backside, and it didn’t take Kise long to shake the can once more, and this time turn it upside down over Kaiba’s torso to press down on the nozzle, and created a trail of whipped cream from Kaiba’s navel up to his chest.

With a grin, Kise got off Kaiba’s lap and moved to kneel between his legs instead, his new position making it easier to lean over and begin to lick the trail of white cream from his navel, his tongue slowly and tentatively lapping at the trail while his hands moved up Kaiba’s thighs tenderly, and when his hands moved to Kaiba’s crotch, he was pleased when his hand came across a hardened bulge, and he took in the sight of Kaiba’s stormy and heated gaze as his own hands came to rest on top of Kise’s head and his fingers dug into his hair.

As Kise made his way up higher with his wet and eager tongue, his hands rubbed against Kaiba’s covered length, and as Kaiba’s breathing began to grow ragged and his hands grasped his hair tighter, Kise began to undo the button and zipper of his pants, so his hands could pull out his cock from his boxers and stroke it while his tongue continued to lap up his torso.

Kaiba groaned as Kise’s hands wrapped around his cock, and his hand fisted into his hair at the sharp jolt of pleasure that traveled through his body.

“You taste delicious Kaibacchi…” Kise said as he finished lapping up the trail he created on his torso, his hand pumping steadily as Kaiba looked at Kise with a heady gaze, before the brunette used the leverage from his grasp on Kise’s hair to bring the blonde forward, crashing his lips into his own in a heated kiss, his tongue immediately seeking entrance to taste the sweetness of his mouth, and Kise groaned.

Their tongues swirled around each other, their saliva mixed together wetly, and their lust reflected in each other’s eyes as they gasped against each other, and Kaiba’s hand made its way under Kise’s shirt where his fingers quickly found and flicked one of his nipples, causing Kise to moan and deepen their kiss as Kaiba began to pinch and twist the flesh between his fingers.

“Kaibacchi...”

As Kise panted under his touch, Kaiba maneuvered them so that Kise was underneath him and laying down across the long seat, and quickly tugged at the blonde’s shirt to remove it and expose the skin beneath, raking in the sight of the blonde flushed and breathing deeply beneath him.

Taking the can of whipped cream that had fallen on the floor, Kaiba stroked Kise’s torso with one hand while the other shook the can, and Kise watched expectantly as Kaiba took the can and squeezed the nozzle over his chest, a shiver running down his spine as the cool whipped cream poured over one nipple and then the other.

When Kaiba leaned over and licked his right nipple, Kise arched into his hot mouth as a loud moan escaped his mouth, only for Kaiba’s hand to move to cover his mouth as his tongue licked and circled around the hardened nub of pink flesh to lap at the sweet cream.

“Quiet… we’re not alone, remember?” Kaiba warned as he moved to the other nipple, and Kise nodded in understanding, and in his lust, chose to grab the hand on his mouth and take two of Kaiba’s fingers into his mouth, sucking and swirling his mouth around them in a way that reminded Kaiba just what his talented mouth could do, and making his cock harden even more.

Not willing to let Kise get the better of him, Kaiba’s other hand moved down Kise’s torso, swiftly undoing Kise’s pants to stroke at his own hardened length beneath his boxers, making the blonde arch his hip towards his touch and suck harder on his fingers.

_Fuck_… this boy would be the end of him.

Kaiba felt as if he could burst just from the feel of his mouth around his fingers, and the taste of his skin mixed with the whipped cream was better than any dessert he had ever tasted.

As much as Kaiba wanted to simply take the blonde then and there, another part of him wanted to prolong their pleasure, and Kaiba had to fight hard to tame his lust as he reluctantly pulled his fingers away from Kise’s wet and hot mouth, so that both his hands were free to tug down Kise’s pants and boxers, his hardened cock springing free as Kaiba took in the sight of the engorged head with precum spilling for the slit.

As Kise squirmed beneath him like Kaiba had learned the blonde did when he was impatient, his hands finished tugging off his clothing and letting the articles fall to the ground before making his way back to his legs, his hands splaying out against his inner thighs as he separated them gently and Kaiba lowered himself between them.

Kise watched Kaiba with curiosity as the brunette lowered his head between his legs, his heart racing at what it looked like the man was about to do.

Was he really…?

Kise’s eyes widened as he fought back the cry that escaped his lips when he felt Kaiba’s wet tongue flick against his hole, and he had to bite his finger to keep from crying out as Kaiba’s tongue continued to lick at his ass, his cock hardening even more at the feeling of Kaiba eating him out for the first time, even more so when one of Kaiba’s hands wrapped around his cock, causing Kise to arch his hips off the couch beneath them.

“Hngh… Kaibacchi!” Kise gasped, and his eyes closed shut and his head flew back at the overwhelming sensation of Kaiba’s ministration on him, the way his tongue now pressed against his puckered hole sending a jolt of pleasure down his cock and up his spine.

Kise continued to moan and gasp as Kaiba continued to drive him insane, even more so when Kaiba’s tongue traveled up to the base of his cock and lick up its length.

“_Fuck_!”

Kise moaned as Kaiba’s mouth wrapped around his engorged head and began to suck, and looked down to take in the erotic sight of Kaiba’s head bobbing up and down his hardened cock.

Kaiba had never gone down on him during their trysts and Kise didn’t think he would.

“Kaibacchi… you don’t have to do that…” Kise chocked out as his hand moved to cover his mouth as he felt his moans grow louder.

Kaiba continued to work his length, but Kise didn’t miss when he opened his eyes and looked his way, his blue eyes reflected his lust as he languidly let go of his cock just enough to speak.

“Do you think I’d be doing something I didn’t want to do?”

Kise’s eyes widened as Kaiba resumed the sucking of his cock, and he felt he might explode just from Kaiba’s words alone, before he smiled and one of his hands traveled to rest on Kaiba’s hair.

“Kaibacchi… I won’t last after hearing you say that…”

Kaiba’s eyes once more settled on him, and Kise could see the challenge in his gaze, especially when Kaiba began to suck harder, his tongue skillfully swirling around him as his head bobbed up and down his length.

But how could Kise say no to seeing such a larger than life figure actually go down on him?

When Kaiba began to fondle his balls, Kise couldn’t hold back his cry as he arched into his touch, his head resting against the armrest behind him as he felt his pleasure build up.

Kise focused on the feeling of Kaiba’s hot mouth around him, the feel of his hair under his fingertips, and the bliss Kaiba was making him feel. It didn’t take long before his felt his orgasm nearing, his hips now arching into Kaiba’s mouth as he became lost in the building pleasure, his body eager for release.

“Kaibacchi… I’m… going to…” Kise tugged at Kaiba’s hair, giving the brunette enough warning to avoid having Kise spill into his mouth.

Kise was surprised however, when instead of retreating, Kaiba only sucked harder and faster, and seeing that Kaiba had no intention of letting go made Kise’s mind go blank, and his balls tightened as his orgasm hit him like a tidal wave, his head flew back and his body tensed as he felt himself release into Kaiba’s mouth, and Kise had just enough self-control to turn his head so he could watch as Kaiba held his hips down as he finished still fully sheathed in his mouth, and had to bite the back of his hand to keep from crying out.

With hooded eyes, Kise watched as Kaiba finally let go his cock, and watched in fascination as Kaiba swallowed, and felt his heart skip a beat at the sight, heat flooding to his cheeks as he looked at the brunette with disbelief as he began to come down from his high.

Kaiba made his way up Kise’s body, his hands stroking up his torso and sides, causing Kise to shiver as his own hands moved to touch Kaiba as well as pull him closer as he settled over him, and his arms wrapped around Kaiba’s neck to draw his face closer, so that the brunette leaned in close enough for Kise to draw him into a kiss.

Their tongues lazily swirled around each other, and Kise made a pleasured noise at the taste of himself lingering in Kaiba’s mouth.

Kaiba felt Kise’s hands make their way around his back and felt his fingers tenderly stroke down his back, sending shivers up his spine at the sensation.

“Kaibacchi… show me the bed?”

Kaiba looked down at Kise’s still flustered face and wondered how he could find this boy so irresistable.

* * *

The last stretch of their trip was spent tangled in each other as they continued to explore and learn every inch of themselves, as well as napping to prepare for the change in time zones.

When they arrived in Nicaragua, it was still noon of that Friday since the Central American country was fifteen hours behind, and despite the naps that Kaiba and Kise had taken in between their trysts, Kise was still exhausted as they made their way to the house, practically snoozing on Kaiba’s shoulder as their driver took them to their destination.

When he saw the house however, Kise’s eyes widened as they walked in.

It was everything Kise would expect of a vacation home, and the climate was much warmer than it had been back home, the sun shiningly brightly on the clear skies as Kaiba and Kise walked into the house that was thankfully cooler in temperature.

As Kise looked around the house excitedly, Kaiba could still tell that the blonde was tired, and unlike him, not used to the jet lag involved with travelling across time zones.

“You should take a nap. I’ll wake you up in a few hours to eat and what we came here for.”

Kise blinked at Kaiba’s suggestion but knew better than to question the experienced man when it came to travel. So, he simply nodded and followed Kaiba to the upper level of the home to what would be his room.

“Thanks Kaibacchi… for everything,” Kise said as he looked back at Kaiba from the door of his temporary room, to which Kaiba only nodded before making his way to what Kise assumed would be his own room.

But Kaiba was right to tell him to sleep. Kise felt exhausted, and the daylight streaming in through the window did not sit well with him. He was feeling the time difference, but hopefully his nap would help him.

As Kise closed the blinds of the window and changed into something more comfortable, he finally laid down on the comfortable bed, falling asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

It was a few hours later that Kaiba shook the blonde awake and told him to get ready to head out.

After a groggy awakening followed by a shower and change of clothes, Kise was feeling like his usual energetic self.

It was dressed in a pair of dark blue shorts with a tucked in lighter blue button up with the top few buttons undone and his nicer pair of sneakers that Kise greeted Kaiba down in the main level. Kaiba was dressed in a pair of gray pants and a dark Henley.

The two men made an attractive pair as they rode into town via their temporary driver, and Kaiba directed them to what seemed like a popular place to eat within the town center.

Already Kise could feel the cultural difference of Nicaragua, and Kaiba watched the younger man in interest at the myriad of emotions that danced across his face as he looked from place to place, the colorful buildings and street vendors, the horse drawn carriages, and live music that played. It seemed the culture wasn’t the only thing of interest as the locals turned to stare and crane to look at the blonde as well. Of course Kise would be just as popular, if not more, here than he was back home. Kise was attractive by most universal standards, and he had no doubt that being a foreigner would make him all that more appealing to the locals here.

They stopped at an unknown restaurant whose smell drew Kise in, and Kaiba watched in amusement as Kise tried his best to communicate with the waitress in Spanish as he stumbled and looked to Kaiba for the correct word every time he hit a wall. The waitress seemed to be having the time of her life as she patiently let the blonde find the right words and encouraged him to try. When the two realized they both spoke English, Kaiba thought he might have to drag the blonde to another restaurant since it seemed he rather talk than eat, but eventually they got their food, and thanks to Kise’s charisma, some of the best customer care Kaiba had ever seen.

The food was delicious, and as Kise gave his excited goodbye to the waitress, Kaiba really did drag him out before they could talk for another twenty minutes, but Kise looked unfazed as they went on to buy street snacks Kise seemed adamant on trying.

Kaiba indulged the boy with only a sigh here and there, and mostly watched as Kise practically enraptured every person he talked to as he tried his best to speak the language. Were it not such an entertaining sight, Kaiba might have been annoyed.

They walked into a cathedral and walked where the most activity seemed to be to take in the art and culture of the city, and since Granada was considered a tourist location, there was no shortage of things to do and take in, with Kise pulling Kaiba in every direction.

By the time the sun set, Kaiba was sure he had seen more of this one city than he had of Domino City(not counting his surveillance system of course), but their night didn’t seem to be over yet. One of the locals had given Kise the address to what was supposed to be the best local dance club in the city, and he had even said they usually didn’t like tourists there but that Kise would be an exception.

Kise had been ecstatic of course, and it was with that energy that he dragged Kaiba to the already busy and loud dance club and bar. The place didn’t even card Kise, and Kaiba was sure that Nicaragua was one of the Latin countries that hardly enforced legal drinking ages if there even was one.

It turned out that some of the people Kise had talked to were at that club that night, as they waved over and cheered when the blonde came in.

“¡Ya llegó el guero!”

_The blonde is here!_

Even Kise seemed to understand as he grinned and waved back, and the local men and women had the bartender give both Kaiba and Kise a drink as soon as they reached the bar area. Latin music was pounding throughout the club as some people swayed to the rhythm as they nursed their drinks and talked.

“¿Listo para bailar?”

Kise looked confused for a second as he processed the sentence, before he realized that the man was talking about dancing, and nodded excitedly.

“¡Si! Me gusta bailar.”

The men and women cheered and laughed as they raised their glass into the air, and Kise did the same as he clinked his glass of unknown liquid with his new buddies. Kaiba let the blonde have his moment, determined to stay in the corner of the bar and hopefully be forgotten as he simply enjoyed his drink and made sure the blonde didn’t do something stupid.

As Kise once more struggled to communicate with the locals who seemed adamant on asking the blonde a million questions, he seemed to still be enjoying himself around them, and thankfully it seemed when the blonde struggled with Spanish they easily asked the same thing in English, and eventually they resorted to just speaking English so they could understand each other better.

After some time just talking and laughing, the group unsuccessfully trying to include Kaiba, the club was filling up and the music was taken over by a DJ, who introduced himself to the crowd and asked excitedly if they were ready to dance.

The crowd cheerfully replied as they raised their drinks into the air, and some made their way to the dance floor.

Kaiba watched as Kise looked excitedly to the forming group of people, and as soon as the DJ played the first song, Kise’s eyes brightened in recognition, which told Kaiba this must be up his alley of Latin music.

The song started out slowly with a somber tone to it followed by words, but the people on the dancefloor were already swaying sensually to the rhythm, their movements increasing when the beat became faster.

Some of the people Kise had been talking to began to make their way to the dance floor, and motioned for Kise to join them. Kise shook his head but motioned that he would be there in a bit.

“You’re not going to dance?” Kaiba asked, loud enough to be heard as Kise looked at him with a smile.

“Oh I will, but I’ve never danced Latin music with others before… so I want to observe first before I make a fool of myself.”

Kaiba nodded in understanding and watched as Kise turned his full attention to the dance floor, to no doubt use his talent as a Copycat to carefully read the movements of the dancers and memorizing them.

After three different types of dances, it looked like Kise felt ready to join the dancing bodies as he downed the rest of the drink before looking at Kaiba excitedly.

“Wish me luck Kaibacchi! Feel free to join me any time to want,” Kise said with a wink.

Kaiba said nothing as Kise turned and walked to join the people in the dance floor, the people he befriended greeting him excitedly as they made room for him.

Kaiba had never really seen Latin dance or heard much Latin music, even when Mokuba had invited him to the clubs when they visited Kaiba had declined, so this was the first time he had ever been in this kind of environment.

He rarely visited clubs in general, but he knew that they often consisted of party music and grinding bodies.

While the Latin dances were still quite sensual in nature, it seemed that everyone followed a specific set of technique and steps that went with a particular style of music, so that it looked practiced rather than simply swaying to the music.

Kaiba barely recalled Kise telling him about the different types he knew; bachata, cumbia, merengue, punta.

And as Kise began to dance with everyone else, Kaiba wasn’t surprised to see that he was a natural, matching the steps and rhythm of what were no doubt masters of the dance as the music played, and the people around them cheered the handsome foreigner on as he danced with a smile on his face.

Kaiba hadn’t really cared for the dancers before, but he couldn’t look away from the blonde as he moved to the rhythm, his footwork precise and the movement of his hips sensual.

He wasn’t the only one enraptured, and it was obvious many of the females had turned to look at the blonde with interest, and the bravest among them made her way over to join him. She was tall and pretty, with dark skin and curly brown hair, wearing a white crop top that showed her defined stomach and a pair of tight shorts that showed off her long legs in a pair of strappy heels.

She was obviously a master of the dance as well, showcasing her movements as if in challenge with the movement of her hips and easy flow of her steps and arms in beat to the music, to which Kise greeted with a confident grin and danced back, and the two created a spectacle that could only be called a dance off.

The crowd around them cheered and awed at the spectacle, clapping at particularly showy moves.

As the song changed to something that seemed to be for pairs with a slower pace but noticeable rhythm, the girl paired up with Kise easily, and the DJ announced it was time for some _bachata_.

This dance was quite the sight, and Kaiba couldn’t believe that Kise had never danced with anyone before from seeing the pair in perfect sync, their hips and feet moving together to the beat of the music, Kise even going the extra step to twirl and spin the girl around at appropriate intervals.

The dance and dancers continued around them, but Kaiba kept his gaze firmly on the blonde man full of surprises as he nursed what was probably his third drink of the night. He felt something hot in the pit of his stomach as he watched Kise’s confident and perfectly executed movements, and it couldn’t be the alcohol he was drinking.

He still wasn’t sure why he had felt compelled to offer Kise a trip to a foreign country to satisfy his interest in Latin music and dance, but seeing the blonde clearly enjoying himself as he could finally explore something that he hadn’t quite been able to do in Japan gave Kaiba a sense of satisfaction.

It was the same satisfaction he felt when he did something that made Mokuba happy, and the knowledge that Kise managed to evoke that in him made him uneasy in ways he didn’t want to admit to himself. But the blonde brought something to his life that no one ever had before… and Kaiba already knew he wasn’t willing to give that up anytime soon.

As Kise continued to dance the next few dances without rest, the women were now clearly fighting for a chance to dance with him, and Kise had to apologetically switch between the women to keep them happy, and Kaiba was surprised to see that most of the men looked amused rather than envious at the sight of the flustered blonde.

Good, because he wouldn’t stand for any hostility against Kise. Here and now, perhaps due to the alcohol in his system, Kaiba decided that from then on, he would look after him. He would be the first person outside of Mokuba that Kaiba had willingly chosen to place under his protection.

As Kaiba finished his fourth drink, he was finally feeling the effects of the alcohol, and it seemed this was when Kise decided to finally take a break as he made his way back to the bar where he had left Kaiba, with a sheen of sweat on his forehead as he asked the bartender for water and downed the cup with a satisfied sigh.

“You seem to be having fun,” Kaiba said, and Kise had to lean closer to the brunette to properly hear him.

“Yeah! This is great Kaibacchi, dancing to Latin music is much more fun with others!”

Kise was surprised when a drink was put in front of him, and blinked at the bartender in question. The man smiled and pointed in the direction of the other end of the bar, who seemed to be the ones to have sent the drinks over, a good-looking man who raised his drink at the attention from Kise.

With a grin, Kise took the drink and raised it as well with a grateful smile and a nod.

Kaiba frowned at the attention from the man, and the only reason he would be sending a drink to the attractive blonde.

“Are you having fun Kaibacchi? I never imagined a club would be your scene… so if you’re not having fun let me know and we can leave any time.”

Kaiba blinked at Kise’s show of consideration towards him, since he could clearly see that the blonde was having fun, but his willingness to leave on account of him made something warm bloom in Kaiba’s chest, and averted his gaze as he took a sip from the drink in his hand.

“I’m fine. We’re here for _you_ anyway.”

Kise smiled widely as he got even closer to Kaiba, his hand stealthily making its way to rest on Kaiba’s thigh beneath the bar.

“Thanks Kaibacchi… I’ll make it up to you, promise!”

As the DJ changed the song to something different, Kise once more perked up with recognition and excitement, and downed the drink before making his way back to the dance floor, where immediately women flocked for a chance to dance with him. Kaiba couldn’t blame them, since being a foreigner with a knack for mastering movements meant that these women would likely never have another chance to dance with a talented and attractive Asian man.

A few dances later, Kaiba took notice of the man that sent Kise a complementary drink eye the blonde and begin to make his way over to him.

So, he had been right, his drink offering _was_ because he was interested in the blonde rather than a reward for his good dancing.

Something clicked in Kaiba then, so that without thinking he was getting up and making his way to the blonde who was still dancing as the song came to an end, and before the other man could reach Kise, pulled the blonde from the girl he was currently dancing with, not caring about the affronted look on her face.

Kise went from irritated to surprised when he saw that it had been Kaiba to pull him from his dance partner, and brightened when the music once more changed, and others voiced their approval of the next song that would be playing as they cheered.

“Kaibacchi… how did you know _Despacito_ was one of my favorite songs? _And_ you’re going to dance with me, what a treat,” Kise said with a gleam in his eyes as he wrapped his arms around Kaiba’s neck while Kaiba grabbed him by the hips as the song began.

Kaiba honestly had no clue what song it was that began to playing, nor was he expecting the way that Kise’s hips began to gradually move against him as the song picked up.

Despite Kise’s surprise that Kaiba had joined him on the dance floor, it shocked him even more when the popular reggaeton song picked up in tempo and Kaiba easily met the rhythm, his own grip on Kise’s hips tightening as they swayed together.

Kaiba didn’t look like someone that enjoyed something like dancing… but it seemed he was full of more surprises too.

_“Yes, you know that I've been looking at you for a while_

_I have to dance with you today (DY)_

_I saw that your gaze was calling me_

_Show me the way that I do oh”_

Kise bit his lip as the familiar lyrics were blasted through the speakers of the club, his heart beating faster as the dark look in Kaiba’s eyes. The beat once more picked up, and both Kise and Kaiba matched the tempo.

Seriously… Kaiba knew how to dance? Kise knew that Kaiba was good with his hips… but _damn_! Deciding not to question it and simply enjoy the moment, Kise let himself go, his eyes darkening as he met Kaiba’s gaze in an unspoken challenge.

_“¡Oh!_

_You, you are the magnet and I'm the metal_

_I'm getting closer and I'm setting up the plan_

_Just the thought of It accelerates my pulse_

_now I'm enjoying it more than usual_

_All my senses are asking for more_

_This must be taken without any rush”_

Kise didn’t hold back as he moved to the tempo, making some space between him and Kaiba as he showed him just how well his hips could move, and Kise was surprised when the tempo came again and Kaiba pulled him back towards him, closing the distance as his hips moved sensually against him, and Kise had to bite back a groan.

_“Slowly_

_I want to breathe your neck in slowly_

_Let me whisper_

_things in your ears_

_So that you remember when you're not with me_

_Slowly_

_I want to undress you with kisses slowly_

_Sign the walls of your labyrinth_

_And make your whole body a manuscript_

_Turn it up turn it up...turn it up, turn it up”_

Kise knew the lyrics of this song by heart, and knowing the translation of it made him burn with something none of his other dance partners had incited in him as he took in the sight and feel of Kaiba dancing with him. Kise popped his body with the beat, his body feeling hot in a way that had nothing to do with his dancing and everything to do with the brunette in front of him.

_“I wanna see you dance, I wanna be your rhythm_

_I want you to show my mouth, Your favorite places _

_Let me surpass your danger zones_

_To make you scream_

_And forget your last name”_

Like many of Kise’s favorite Spanish songs, this one in particular was far from innocent. Everything about it was sensual, and Kaiba was certainly not disappointing in the way he swayed and pressed his hips against his in rhythm, at one point even turning Kise around so that his backside was to him and his arms around him. Kise felt his breath hitch at the bold move, but didn’t disappoint as he backed his ass against Kaiba’s pelvis, grinding against him at the pace of the rhythm.

_“If I ask you for a kiss, come give It to me_

_I know that you're thinking about it_

_I've been trying for some time, Mami this is giving and giving it_

_You know that with me your heart goes boom boom_

_You know baby that you’re looking for my boom boom_

_Come try my mouth to see what it tastes like_

_I want to see how much love you have to take_

_I'm not in a hurry, I want to enjoy the journey_

_Let's start slowly, then wildly”_

Kaiba clearly understood the lyrics of the song that Kise claimed to be one of his favorites, and the meaning behind them made Kaiba even more lost in the movements of the blonde against him. The alcohol had definitely done its job at loosening him up, enough to do something he rarely did. But Kise wasn’t the only one that was good at observing movements, and Kaiba always did what he set out to do. Dancing was no different.

_“Step by step, softly softly_

_We’re getting closer, little by little_

_When you kiss me so skillfully_

_I think that your malice is a delicacy_

_Step by step, softly softly_

_We're getting closer, little by little_

_And it's just that this beauty is a puzzle_

_Let’s put it together, here I have the pieces”_

Kaiba could care less if the rest of the club had their eyes on the unusual pair, and Kaiba would be damned if that was enough to make him stop as he continued to feel the blonde press up against him so deliciously, his hands running down his sides as Kise’s own hands touched what he could of him. When Kise turned around to face him again, their faces drew closer as they pressed against each other as much as they could while still dancing to the beat as the lyrics began to repeat.

Kise could see his desire reflected in Kaiba’s blue eyes, and as the music continued, dancing was the last thing Kise wanted to do next, so that when the song came to a close and their movements slowed, Kise was practically gasping for breath as his and Kaiba’s breaths mingled.

“Kaibacchi… I think we should go back to your house.”

* * *

Kaiba and Kise stumbled onto Kaiba’s bed in a flurry, half their clothes already discarded during their trip to the bedroom as they kissed passionately and eagerly, their hands exploring every inch of exposed skin as Kaiba pressed Kise into the bed and began to unbuckle his pants.

They both knew that this time would be fast and eager, both too worked up to take things slowly. As both men took off their pants and continued to kiss and touch each other, Kise’s tongue breaking away from Kaiba’s to lick and kiss along his neck, Kaiba groaned as he ground his pelvis against Kise’s, the friction causing pleasure to course through their hardened members, their minds hazed with lust and alcohol as they became lost in the feel and taste of each other.

With most of their clothes out of the way, Kise paused when a thought occurred to him, and with his best efforts against Kaiba’s ministrations on him, willed himself to stop the man.

“Kaibacchi wait…”

Kaiba listened to Kise as he paused and looked at the blonde with an impatient and questioning gaze, the last thing he wanted to do was stop what they were doing, and Kise could clearly read it on his face in a way that made him feel warm as he smiled and pulled Kaiba towards him.

“Have you ever had sex to music?” Kise asked gently, placing tender kisses along the side of Kaiba’s face.

Kaiba enjoyed Kise’s ministrations on him but looked at the blonde incredulously.

“You’re telling me you have music for sex?” Kaiba replied, to which Kise chuckled.

“Of course… there’s music for all kinds of occasions… and since the theme of tonight seems to be music… why not?”

Kaiba sighed before leaning into Kise and placing his own kisses and licks along Kise’s neck, enjoying the mewls of pleasure that came to the blonde with his attention to the sensitive areas that Kaiba knew affected the blonde the most.

“Fine… if it’ll make you stop talking.”

Kise grinned victoriously, and moved to find his shorts where his phone was nestled into his pocket, and eagerly took out the phone, only slightly distracted by Kaiba’s continuous touch and kisses along his body as he did his best to concentrate and pull up this particular playlist on his phone. It had a variety of artists, but the beat was always sensual and slow, something he really wanted to do with Kaiba now.

Everything that Kaiba had done as of late had been like a whirlwind, taking him by storm but in the best way possible. Even though he knew that he was in dangerous territory with his own feelings on the line, he wanted to take every bit of what Kaiba was willing to give him. No matter how short lived it might be… Kise wanted to enjoy it all.

As Kise set the phone on the nightstand and the music began to play, he turned his attention back to Kaiba who looked back at him as he once more settled over him, his hand tenderly stroking Kise’s hair in a way that made Kise blush as he also reached for the man above him and smiled.

Kise’s smile sent a jolt of something Kaiba couldn’t quite place down his spine, his body heating up at the look of warmth on Kise’s face as he looked back at him and the music filled his ears.

The music was slow and sensual, much like Kaiba had learned that Kise enjoyed, and somehow it didn’t surprise him. While Kaiba had been eager to take the boy as fast as possible before, the ambiance of the music did something to him that made him slow his pace so that he simply admired the blonde for a moment before capturing his lips once more, the skin where Kise’s hands tenderly roved over his back sending a shiver down his spine as his tongue languidly entangled with Kise’s.

As they finally rid each other of the underwear that was the only article of clothing on their bodies, Kaiba was quick to reach over to the stand’s drawer to pull out the liquid that would make things much easier for them, and as Kise’s eyes darkened at the sight of the lubricant, Kaiba didn’t hesitate to pour some over his fingers and onto Kise’s opening.

He watched enraptured, as Kise squirmed and gasped when his fingers began to work into him, and Kaiba couldn’t look away from the look of pleasure on Kise’s flushed face as he arched into his every touch and reacted to every push of his fingers into him, the mewls like added music to his ears as he continued to prep the beautiful blonde beneath him.

Before long, Kaiba felt as he would burst from the feel of Kise’s walls around his fingers, and he wanted nothing more than to sheathe himself into the blonde gasping beneath him. It seemed Kise felt the same, because his hand moved to stop Kaiba, and as the song playing on his phone changed to a new song, Kaiba saw something in Kise’s eyes as he lifted himself onto his elbows, and motioned for Kaiba to switch with him as he maneuvered him beneath him.

_“Always lookin' out behind my fences_

_Always felt isolated, oh-oh-oh_

_I don't know why I was so defensive_

_I'll find a way to let you in”_

Kise grinned mischievously as he settled himself over Kaiba and gently stroked his hardened length, before leaning down and placing scattered kissed along his chest.

_“I will die if I don't try_

_Damned if I ask why_

_This is somethin' real_

_This is somethin' right_

_Never been in love_

_Never felt at all until now”_

Kise felt warmth bloom in his chest as he kissed his way up Kaiba’s neck and the way that Kaiba’s breathing changed at the simple touch. He relished the way Kaiba’s hands began to stroke his sides and arms tenderly.

_“As I lay here in your bed_

_I need you on my chest_

_To warm me all the time_

_To take away your breath_

_It's written on your lips_

_There ain't nothin' common 'bout us”_

Kaiba’s unfocused gaze settled on Kise as he began to position himself over his erect length, and Kise paused only to look at Kaiba with a questioning gaze, and Kaiba immediately understood what Kise was asking. With a single nod, Kaiba let Kise know that it was okay to continue, they didn't need a condom this time. They trusted each other enough to know that they would have come clean by now if they needed it. With a warm smile, Kise pressed up against Kaiba's length, the prep he had done on him making it easy for him to slide into Kise as the blonde whimpered and moaned at the familiar feeling of being filled by Kaiba, this time more so from the feeling of him bare inside him.

_“In this ordinary world_

_Where nothin' is enough_

_Everything is grey_

_Mistaking love for lust_

_When I hold you in my arms_

_There ain't nothin' common 'bout us”_

Kise gave himself a moment to adjust around Kaiba’s length, his face flushed as he placed his hands on Kaiba’s abdomen for leverage as he began to move slowly, and Kaiba groaned at the movement of Kise’s hips and the grip he had on him.

_“I see all your flaws and imperfections_

_But that's what makes me love you more, oh-oh-oh_

_We got such a spiritual connection_

_Don't you know you're fuckin' beautiful”_

Kise began to move his hips to the rhythm of the music, and Kaiba couldn’t help but be entranced by the sensual movement on Kise’s hips as he began to ride him, the pace matching the song in a way that Kaiba never imagined to be so erotic.

But given that it was the blonde Kaiba had chosen to accept… perhaps he shouldn’t be so surprised that everything he did managed to amaze him.

Watching Kise ride him was like seeing an erotic dance, and every thrust of Kise’s hips that caused Kaiba to slide in and out of him sent a jolt of pleasure through Kaiba that he knew he’d never experienced before. This blonde boy shouldn’t have been able to make something as common as sex feel like an exotic experience… yet that’s what Kise Ryota had managed to do to him.

What else could explain why Kaiba had already taken him more than anyone before? Why even now, Kaiba knew that he wanted to have him again…and again. Why each time he had him, Kaiba only wanted him more?

_“I wanna feel your love_

_Just give me all your trust_

_Common ain't us_

_'Cause common ain't enough”_

No… there was nothing common about the blonde riding him so wantonly.

In an abrupt movement that even Kise seemed surprised by, Kaiba sat up, his arms wrapping around the blonde to hold him in place, and as Kise’s arms instinctively moved to wrap around Kaiba’s neck and shoulders, their heated gazes met, and their lips crashed onto each other, and this time, as Kaiba effortlessly switched them so that Kise was under him again, it was Kaiba’s hips that moved against Kise to the rhythm of the song.

_“In this ordinary world_

_Where nothin' is enough_

_Everything is grey_

_Mistaking love for lust_

_When I hold you in my arms_

_There ain't nothin' common 'bout us”_

* * *

Their last day in Nicaragua seemed to go by in a flash, as Kise and Kaiba took a trip to San Juan del Sur, the most well-known beach on Nicaragua with a luxury resort and everything under the sun to do.

Kise dragged Kaiba to do everything, from swimming and tanning on the beach, cliff diving, eating delicious food, playing beach volleyball with some locals and other tourists, and hiking. They seemed to have done it all despite having only one day to do it.

And as they had the previous day, they spent the night tangled in each other well into the early morning. Kise was sure he was addicted to the brunette, and the more he felt himself pulled in the dangers of his feelings for Kaiba.

Still, it was a weekend Kise knew he would never forget, and as they took their trip back to Japan on Kaiba’s private jet the following Sunday afternoon in Nicaraguan time, Kise knew he had to do something he had only recently began to think about.

And he knew that it would take the entire plane ride to build up the courage he needed to do what he wanted to do.

The plane ride back was spent more leisurely, the two simply taking a nap and watching movies, with only a few make out sessions here and there.

And by the time they rode back to Kise’s apartment in Kaiba’s car, even before they went their separate ways, Kise already began to miss Kaiba.

When they reached his apartment complex, Kise asked Kaiba to come up with him to his apartment, so he could give him some things back, and Kaiba followed. He tried to hide his nervousness as he unlocked his door, and hoped that Kaiba didn’t notice the slight shaking of his hands as he finally unlocked the door.

He led the way in as he turned on the lights and placed his bag on the ground before turning to Kaiba with a smile.

“I’ll be right back, let me get your things.”

Kaiba nodded and waited patiently as Kise made his way to room, eyeing his apartment as he remembered what they had done within it the last time he had been there.

The memories were still fresh in his mind, and not just because it had only been a week before. Everything of what had happened with Kise since he made his way into his life was vibrant in his mind.

When the blonde got back, his things seemed to have been neatly placed in a bag, which Kaiba took from him.

“Kaibacchi… thanks again for the trip. It was really fun,” Kise said with a sincere smile on his face, and Kaiba nodded.

“Of course, it was of little effort. You should get some rest before going back to school tomorrow, have a goodnight.”

Yet despite his words, Kise knew that it was more than effort that it took for someone like Kaiba to do something that wasn’t for his own personal gain.

So, as Kaiba turned towards the door, Kise’s hand reached out to grab onto Kaiba’s arm, and Kaiba stopped as he turned to look at the blonde, confused by the look of nervousness on his face.

He had never seen Kise look nervous before, but that was the only way that Kaiba could describe Kise’s face just then.

“Kaibacchi… wait…”

Kaiba turned to face Kise again, a guarded and questioning look in his eyes as he watched Kise begin to fidget, even more so when a blush dusted his cheeks and he avoided his gaze.

After a moment of silence, Kaiba frowned.

“What is it?”

Kise finally turned his gaze to meet Kaiba’s and took in a steadying breath.

“Kaibacchi… I… I _like_ you!”

Kaiba blinked at Kise’s loud declaration, that nevertheless seemed to have been said with a passion that seemed uncharacteristic of the phrase, even from the energetic blonde.

Kise must have seen the confusion on Kaiba’s face, and knowing Kaiba’s lack of knowledge when it came to emotional things, Kise felt himself grow even more flustered.

“What I mean by that… is that I like you a lot Kaibacchi… as… as _more_ than a friend…”

This time Kaiba understood exactly what Kise was saying, and felt his eyes widen as the declaration. Despite everything they had done… how much they had shared and confided to each other, the declaration still seemed unexpected.

_Ba dump._

Kaiba felt warmth blossom in his chest as Kise’s grip on him arm tighten.

“Kaibacchi… will you… go on a date with me?”

Kise looked at Kaiba with determination in his eyes, and for the first time, Kaiba felt an unfamiliar heat settle on his face, and Kise’s eyes widened at the blush that settled on Kaiba’s face, a sight he never thought he would ever see.

The blush made Kise’s heart race, the image of a flushed Kaiba sent a pang of affection through his chest, and Kise wanted to engrave this image of Kaiba into his mind forever.

Kaiba, aware of his lack of composure, hid his reddened cheeks with his free hand, and tried to regain ahold of this unexpected reaction as he looked at Kise who looked entranced by him in a way that made it harder to do what he was trying to do.

“But… why… what?” Kaiba didn’t even know how to voice his confusion, but that was forgotten when Kise closed in on him, looking a lot more composed than he had a moment before, and watched as Kise gently grabbed the hand that was covering his face and pulled it towards him, only to place a kiss on it tenderly, sending another jolt of warmth through Kaiba’s body.

“I mean… that I want to know even more of you. I want to see every side of you. I want to experience things to come with you… as your lover. As someone that has liked you for a while now… and is falling even harder for you.”

Kaiba felt his heart begin to race, not sure how to take in what Kise was telling him.

“If… if that’s too much for me to ask of you… I’ll accept it… and if you just want to be friends… I can be okay with that… even though it might take me a little time to get over my feelings for you. You don’t have to answer right now either… you can think it over.”

Kise’s eyes were sincere as they held Kaiba’s gaze, and Kaiba was all but lost in the emotions of those eyes that he had never seen directed at him before, how could someone be able to look at him that way?

Finally, with some effort, Kaiba was able to get ahold of himself, and took in a breath as he looked back at Kise, his flush subsiding slightly as his usual composure returned.

“There’s a Gala event at Domino Museum on Saturday… I meant to tell you about it sometime this week…”

Kise blinked at Kaiba’s admission, not sure what to expect from the sudden change in subject as he felt his heart sink at the thought that Kaiba wasn’t acknowledging his feelings and question.

“Come with me to the event…and… I’ll tell you my answer then.”

Kise’s eyes widened, and the fact that Kaiba wasn’t saying no right then and there made his heart soar with hope. But not wanting to get his hopes up… Kise simply nodded with a smile.

“Okay Kaibacchi… send me the details.”


	32. Domino Museum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, the answers you seek, aren't the ones you get.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so... we reach my favorite arc! And one that just kind of happened... and it fit so well that I was very pleasantly surprised.

It turned out that the event was a formal black-tie event, and Kise had chosen his best suit and shoes to wear for the occasion.

All week he had felt sick to his stomach with nerves and anticipation of the promised night, and even the looming of the Inter-High didn’t match what he felt at what the Gala that Kaiba had invited him to meant.

Kise was even more nervous than he had been for his audition, and that had been quite a bit. Usually Kise was confident and self-assured… except when it came to matters of the heart it seemed.

He had even started having headaches, and Kise wondered if he was so stressed that it was affecting his body in more ways than one.

With a sigh and choosing to take some medicine so that he could enjoy the night, Kise grabbed the bottle and went to the kitchen to get some water to wash it down with.

Kaiba had told him the Gala was for an exclusive Mesopotamian exhibit that would only be at the museum for a limited time, and given what they had learned of Kise’s previous life, thought that Kise would be interested in some relics and stories of his supposed past. The thought that Kaiba had taken that into consideration made Kise feel warm, and once more gave him hope that perhaps his confession wouldn’t end with a broken heart.

Kise fixed the black bowtie around his neck, admiring the way he looked in the black tuxedo. Usually Kise didn’t like to wear black suits… he preferred a little more unorthodox formal wear in color at least, but this seemed right for the occasion. What he did do for flair, however, was style his hair a little differently. He had slicked back the left side of his hair, while his hair rested freely on his right side. It was a look he hardly did… but Kise felt he looked pretty damn good.

Kaiba had let him know that a driver would be by to pick him up and take him to the museum, where they would meet, and sent him the electronic invitation that would get him into the exclusive event.

Looking at the time, Kise knew that the car would be here any minute now, and Kise took a breath as he tried to calm his nerves once more.

No matter what happened tonight… Kise would handle it as it came.

* * *

Kaiba had chosen to wear a dark gray suit and matching tie that looked to be made out of satin for the occasion. He had just arrived at the museum and looked at the text that told him Kise would be arriving within the hour, it seemed they had come across some traffic.

He sighed as he easily flashed his invitation and was let into the exhibit, where already well dressed and influential people of Domino were gathered about with drinks in their hands.

He paid them little mind as he walked around, purposely avoiding people’s gaze as he grabbed a glass of white wine to occupy himself with as he looked at the artifacts. After all, he had only agreed to come here because of the blonde that was still on his way.

All week he had been consumed by thoughts of what his answer to Kise would be, of what Kise was asking of him.

Kaiba had long ago resigned himself to a life of solitude, a life where his success and company was all he needed to be satisfied with his life. Until recently, when Mokuba had chosen his path away from the company and dedicated himself to his studies and traveling the world, he had thought he had been fine.

Until recently, he hadn’t realized just how truly alone he was… and the past few months had been like a rude awakening once a certain blonde came into his life.

He had accepted Kise Ryota’s presence in his life… had accepted his friendship, and everything that had come with it had not been the most unpleasant of things. He genuinely enjoyed the blonde’s presence in his life, and as of late, his body just as much.

But he was smart enough to realize why Kise wanted an answer… if Kise liked him like he said he did, then it seemed only right to be fair with him. If he could not return Kise’s feelings… then Kise would only end up hurt in the end.

As Kaiba looked up to see the large stone statues of what looked like a half bearded man, half four-legged animal that led to the Mesopotamian exhibit, Kaiba tried to focus on the artifacts to keep his thought away from what he planned to say to the blonde later that night.

As he entered the main part of the Mesopotamian exhibit, he took in the sight of the illuminated tablets and more stone artifacts on display.

Ancient artifacts had never interested Kaiba, and still they didn’t. He couldn’t imagine a world where technology wasn’t available, how did people manage with stone alone? It was a disconcerting thought, and Kaiba was grateful to have been born to be alive in the 21st century and one of the pioneers to technology of the future.

As he took a sip of the wine in his hand and rounded the corner, he almost choked on the liquid at the person he caught sight of.

It was the last person he expected to see, and his thoughts came to a halt as he took in the sight of long white hair and the slim figure covered in a fitted but elegant silver dress.

The woman stood out like a diamond in her surroundings, her unusual hair and features a vast contrast to everyone present as she was surrounded by people mostly clad in black.

Impossible… could that be…_her_?

She was the mirror image of the girl he had seen in his visions and the events that showed him his ancient past. The woman that had once housed the energy of his Blue-Eyes White Dragon, the woman that his past self had cared enough about to mourn after her death.

But now here she was… alive… in the flesh…

Kaiba shook his head as he turned away from the sight of her.

So what if it was her? It didn’t make a difference. The past had no influence on his present, and just because she had been tied to his past self didn’t mean anything to his own life. The fact that she had shown up here was nothing more than a coincidence.

As Kaiba turned his attention to a random stone tablet, he tried to pay little mind to the white-haired woman as he began to read the descriptions of the artifacts.

After browsing some artifacts, and quickly growing bored, Kaiba wondered if he should just wait for Kise outside. His most recent text message was to tell him he was less than twenty minutes away, and that must have been ten minutes ago.

“Good evening… how are you enjoying the exhibit?”

The very woman that Kaiba had tried not to worry about greeted him pleasantly as she came to stand next to him, her dark blue eyes warm as she smiled gently at him.

Kaiba frowned, not having expected her approach considering he was standing as unapproachable as possible to avoid the small talk she seemed intent to initiate. Then again, he was probably the only one in the entire Gala who seemed about her age, perhaps she was tired of indulging the older crowd.

“As well as someone who has no interest in the past can enjoy stone tablets,” Kaiba replied unenthusiastically.

He had hoped his tone would be an indication that he did not want to bother with small talk, but rather than seem put off by his reply, she simply laughed airily.

“I see... I’m guessing someone roped you into coming here then?” she asked, and Kaiba frowned, not really wanting to answer but knowing that she didn’t deserve his coldness. After all... although she was a woman he knew nothing about... if she had once housed his precious Blue-Eyes, she at least deserved his respect.

“Not really, I did it to myself.”

The white-haired woman smiled and extended her hand in his direction.

“My name is Kisara Bleue,” she introduced himself, and Kaiba hesitated for only a second before extending his own hand to shake her own.

Of fucking course, her surname meant blue. Destiny and fate, or whatever it was that seemed to follow him everywhere sure seemed to have a sense of humor.

“My name is Seto Kaiba,” he replied.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Seto Kaiba.”

While Kaiba could see that she was not Japanese… he was surprised by how well she spoke it.

“Are you here as a guest, or do you work for the museum?” Kaiba asked, curious now whether the woman that had mysteriously appeared had been here this entire time and he had simply missed her, or if she had come only due to the event.

“I’ll actually be the speaker later tonight, I’m an archaeologist that specializes in early ancient civilizations, and was invited to speak during this event. While I admit I prefer Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia has its own share of amazing stories and culture.”

Kaiba nodded in acceptance. Well, wasn’t that just fitting?

“Since you’re not a fan of ancient history, what brought you to the museum? Perhaps I can change your mind. There’s quite a few interesting relics that you might be surprised by…”

Kaiba could see that she didn’t plan on leaving him alone.

“I’m waiting for a friend who would be more interested to hear what you have to say. He’ll be here shortly. I’m mostly here for moral support, you could say.”

Kisara smiled at his answer.

“Really now? Well, I’d be more than happy to show him what this exhibit has to offer then.”

The two had begun to walk to a different display case, and Kaiba wondered if he should entertain her until Kise arrived. Then again… the thought of the two interacting with each other caused a stir of unease in him.

“You speak Japanese very well… but you don’t look Japanese. Were you born here?” Kaiba asked, the part of him that was curious about the coincidence of her existence seeking answers.

Kisara shook her head.

“My father was part of the United States Navy and we were stationed in Japan for many years. We came when I was still a toddler and spent my early elementary school years here. Japan was always one of my favorite places as we moved around, so I made sure to keep practicing the language in hopes of coming back one day. Even after I fell in love with Archaeology and having gone to places all over the world… Japan still seems to call to me… it’s why I was happy to be asked to be a guest speaker for the exhibit.”

Kaiba felt something stir in him, something like apprehension at the tale of this woman. To think that she had existed this whole time… and had lived in the same country he called home, all the while he had known of her due to visions of his ancient past. He never thought he would ever meet the woman in the flesh, but her story was too genuine to ignore.

“I see.”

As she stopped in front of a particular statue, Kaiba also stopped, and looked at the stone relic with mild interest. It depicted what looked like a woman in a headdress with wings, in front of her artistic circular rings, and with two lions at her feet.

“This is a statue of Inanna or Ishtar. Worship of her often involved bloody and frenzied dancing to honor social and physical abnormality. Basically… she was the deity of freedom of expression, where nothing was prohibited under her. These early civilizations often embraced what modern society ostracizes, like same sex relationships, transgender identities, prostitution, among others. They saw what we often see as abnormal as a way to transcend human capabilities and into spiritual ecstasy,” Kisara explained.

“Hn. If you ask me… human nature seems to be progressively worse, so much for evolution,” Kaiba replied.

“You really think that? I mean… at least we don’t offer each other as ritual sacrifice as often as we used to… that seems like a start if you ask me,” the woman teased, and Kaiba’s lips actually quirked into a smile.

If only she knew.

* * *

Kise really hoped that Kaiba wasn’t too upset by how late he was. After all, it wasn’t his fault! The traffic had put them back and he was really only half an hour late… and dinner wasn’t scheduled for another half an hour, so he couldn’t have missed much.

As he showed his invitation and was checked on the list, Kise made his way into the building and felt his nervousness begin to build again. Despite the medicine he had taken for his headache, there was still a noticeable ache in the back of his head as he took in the sight of the museum.

Some people walked about, and there were clear signs of where to go for the Mesopotamian exhibit, and Kise had to take in a steadying breath.

After all… this was his last chance to win over Seto Kaiba.

With a determined glint in his eye, Kise walked forward and towards the exhibit, where the brunette had said he’d be waiting.

The exhibit was indeed impressive… and it was clear the museum had gone to great lengths to accommodate it. It was hard to believe that the large stone statues had only recently been placed there, and Kise felt transported to ancient times as he walked into the area full of ancient artifacts and statues.

Yet despite being surrounded by something he knew his past self must have once touched and seen with his own eyes, it wasn’t what he wanted to see just then.

His gaze was already searching for the tall handsome man that Kise had grown to care for faster than he thought possible, and it wasn’t hard to find him. What did surprise him… was the figure of the beautiful woman standing beside him as the two talked.

The woman had long silver hair, with a slim figure in an elegant silver dress, with dainty features and a very feminine face. She didn’t look Japanese… and looked exotic even by foreigner standards. She seemed to be very immersed and attentive to the brunette man Kise was both nervous and excited to see, and Kise was surprised that Kaiba looked just as attentive.

It made his stomach churn and his heart sink.

Who was this woman? And why did it make him so uneasy to see the two so amicable? Even from the distance, Kise could see from the look on Kaiba’s face that he didn’t mind the woman’s presence, and Kise knew that Kaiba wasn’t exactly a fan of most people.

Something else clicked in Kise, and this time, Kise squared his shoulders and straightened his posture as he plastered a cheerful smile on his face and approached the pair.

“Kaibacchi!” Kise called out once he was within earshot, and was pleased when Kaiba turned in his direction.

He was even more pleased when he saw Kaiba’s eyes marginally widen as he took in Kise’s figure, and Kise knew that it was because Kaiba had never seen him in a tux or with his current hairstyle.

Kise did not let his unease show on his face as he kept up his cheerful persona, the one he used around his fans and coworkers to portray the Golden Boy that he was, and made sure to also catch the gaze of the woman as he approached.

“You made it,” Kaiba said simply as the blonde stopped short of them.

“Better late than never, huh?” Kise replied with a sheepish grin, and turned to the shorter woman next to Kaiba.

“Who is this beautiful lady, Kaibacchi? Did you make a friend?” Kise said easily, and the woman smiled back warmly while Kaiba frowned at the blonde’s interest of the woman.

“Hello… my name is Kisara Bleue.”

Kise could hardly fight down his shock as the woman introduced herself, and it took every ounce of his willpower not to look completely floored by her proclamation.

He knew that name… it was the name that had made him uneasy when Kaiba first told him her story… her story as the maiden of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon… and this was her? This beautiful other-worldly woman was the girl that had once been something to Kaiba’s past self?

“I’m actually the guest speaker tonight as a courtesy of the Domino Museum.”

“Ah, I see. Nice to meet you, my name is Kise Ryota, I’m a friend of Kaibacchi’s,” Kise introduced himself, his façade still in place, despite what felt like a ball of lead in the pit of his stomach.

“Oh, you’re the friend he said he was waiting for. He mentioned you would be very interested in what I had to say about the exhibit.”

Kise smiled.

“Indeed! Ancient civilizations are a recent interest of mine. I don’t know much about them, but I’d like to learn more.”

It was a lie and a truth.

Kise was actually annoyed. He had come here to spend time with Kaiba… but now this woman was getting in the way. Not only that… this was the woman that Kaiba had an ancient connection with… and even though their trip to the afterlife had told Kise that he also had a connection with Kaiba… it didn’t change the fact that their present was different from the past…

“Ah, Kisara there you are! Some patrons would like to speak to you,” Kise was saved by another woman in a red dress that approached them with her attention fully on Kisara.

“Of course. Excuse me, it looks like I must go now. Please look forward to my speech,” with another gentle smile, Kisara bowed and followed the other woman to the men that were supposedly looking to speak with her.

Kise eyed her wearily as she left, before turning to look at Kaiba, his expression curious and more guarded.

“Kaibacchi… was she really…?” Kise didn’t want to say it out loud, but it seemed he didn’t need to.

Kaiba understood what Kise was asking and was surprised that the blonde had remembered that detail of the past he had shared with him.

“It appears so.”

Kise looked disturbed, and Kaiba did not like that look on his face.

“Did you know she would be here?” he asked.

Kaiba sighed.

“I didn’t even know she existed in our current world.”

Kise’s frown deepened, and Kaiba decided it was best to move past the subject.

“You look good,” Kaiba said softly, and took pride in the way Kise’s frown disappeared and in the subtle flush of his cheeks at the compliment.

“You do too,” Kise replied, this time a small smile on his lips.

And it was true. While he had seen Kaiba in a suit before, this suit was tailored different, but still flattering on him in a way that looked appropriate for a black-tie event.

“So… what did I miss?” Kise asked, and as Kaiba reached for another glass of white wine from one of the caterers that was walking around, he handed it to the blonde who took it with a grateful smile.

“What’s there to miss about old rocks?”

Yep, sounded like Kaiba alright.

With an amused grin, Kise playfully nudged Kaiba towards the artifacts, determined to enjoy the night and put a certain silver-haired woman out of his mind as he focused on the handsome man beside him, leading the way as he pointed out the artwork.

After a few minutes of perusing, Kise sighed as he looked at Kaiba.

“You know Kaibacchi… you’re so right. This stuff is boring. It was way cooler when we went to the afterlife and saw everything in person. This is probably all wrong anyway… and they don’t even mention magic!”

Kaiba watched with hidden amusement at the disappointed pout on Kise’s face, not surprised that the blonde’s attention span was so short lived.

“Told you.”

It was then that they announced it was time for dinner, and both men made their way in the direction of the tables set up next to the exhibit and claimed their spots. They were all covered in white tablecloths, with fancy folded napkins and a centerpiece, and plates and silverware neatly set out.

As others joined them on the table, it seemed most of them knew Kaiba, and because Kise could see that Kaiba really did not want to talk to these mostly older people, Kise took it upon himself to redirect their attention to himself to make the small talk while dinner was laid out.

In the end, the food was delicious and enjoyable, and since Kise was used to entertaining people at gatherings, handling the other patrons was easy enough while at the same time managing a private conversation with Kaiba.

He was surprised that although he still felt nervous about what the end of the night would bring, and the answer he would receive, Kaiba’s presence made him warm and happy. Despite how terribly wrong this night could end, and despite the appearance of the white-haired woman that worsened his doubts, Kaiba’s presence comforted him.

As their plates were taken and dessert set out, there was movement from the podium that had been set up in the room, and Kise watched as a man took to it and grabbed the microphone.

“Good evening everyone, I hope you all enjoyed your dinner. Thank you for coming to this special event. As the Curator of Domino Museum, it is a great honor to be able to host this exclusive exhibit, and happy that you all took the time to enjoy this special moment with us.”

The man continued to talk as was expected of a host, naming people that made it possible and making sure to thank the patrons for their contributions, before introducing the next speaker.

“Please, welcome a special guest speaker and well-known archaeologist despite her youth, Kisara Bleue!”

As Kisara made her way to the podium with a round of applause from the audience, the curator stepped aside. The white-haired woman stood comfortably at the podium, an easy and welcoming smile on her face as she addressed the crowd under the yellow light that still seemed to flatter her.

Kise felt his chest tighten, and he glanced to see Kaiba’s face as he also turned his attention to the woman.

“Thank you, it’s a pleasure to be here. Although I’m still new to the field of Archeology, I am immensely proud of my contributions to the field. As someone who has always felt a pull to history and mythology, I’ve always considered Archeology as the permutation of the two. Nothing makes me happier than to uncover new relics of the past and put together a story that is hopefully as close to what it was meant to be.”

All eyes were on the white-haired woman, and not even the sound of utensils on plates was heard.

“I believe that to understand who we are, it is important to understand where we started. As a species, that past goes back thousands and thousands of years. But it wasn’t until the first civilizations discovered writing that we begin to glimpse at our roots. And when we understand where we began, and see how far we’ve come, we can take pride in our accomplishments and look towards improvement in our future.”

Kise had to admit that Kisara was a very well-spoken woman. Her voice was pleasant and gentle, and easily pulled in the crowd into her tale. Her words also made something unpleasant stir in the pit of his stomach, the way she spoke of the past affecting your future.

How ironic… that both his future and his past now seemed tinged with doubt at the appearance of this woman. Kise knew he had no reason to be jealous… he and Kaiba had done more than he and this woman had ever done. After all, Kise had been friends with Kaiba for months now, and could even say that they had grown to lovers, at least in the physical sense of the word. This woman had only just now come into his life, and was little more than a stranger.

So why did he feel so threatened?

“As one of the earliest recorded civilizations, Mesopotamia has a rich and bloody history. It was a land that would pass through the hands of many well-known and powerful leaders, such as Alexander the Great. The earliest of writings are also from this time period, and many believe that the writings and Epics that arose from the people of this time would go on to influence every story thereafter. Those who are familiar with the saying ‘an eye for an eye’ might know it comes from Hammurabi’s Code, one of the earliest formal writings of law by the Babylonian King. Not to mention, _the Epic of Gilgamesh_, a still studied piece of literature surrounding one of its most famous Kings, and where many would be shocked to see similarities in future stories told by other civilizations.”

Kise perked up at the sound of the epic of the king he had come to know as his previous life, yet Kisara did not expand on his existence as she went on to talk about Mesopotamian culture and life. By then, Kise had deflated and grown disinterested.

He didn’t care about the culture or life of that time… he only cared about what he had been like as a King. It seemed he would have to ask her about his past if he wanted to know, and seeking her out to talk was the last thing Kise wanted then and there.

As he blocked out the rest of her speech, all Kise could do was focus on her figure, and take in how pretty she was as his thoughts got ahead of him, making him restless as he fidgeted in his seat. The ball that was forming in the pit of his stomach was quick to be unpleasant, and Kise knew he had to get out of there.

“Kaibacchi… I have to use the restroom. I’ll be right back.”

Not waiting for a response or even bothering to look at Kaiba, Kise rose from his seat and did his best to leave as quietly and as fast as possible.

He didn’t even bother to actually look for a bathroom, and simply walked in a direction that was away from everyone else. He wasn’t even paying attention to where he was going or what was around him, and his head began to hurt as his mind once more traveled down a path he didn’t welcome.

He didn’t want to think about it… but what if meeting Kisara was all Kaiba needed to say no to his question? What if Kaiba chose Kisara over him?

After all… wouldn’t Kisara be the obvious choice? She was a woman… she had made a career and name for herself. She was beautiful, more beautiful than any woman Kise had ever met, and that was saying something when Kise was constantly surrounded by models. Not to mention… she could give Kaiba more than Kise ever could… as a woman… she could even give Kaiba the heirs he wanted for his company. Children who would be his blood… how could Kise compete with all that?

According to Kaiba’s story… the Kisara in the past had died before Priest Seto and her could ever be together… but what if… what if they were meant to be together in this life? What if that was why she was here… because it was destiny that they meet? So that they could finally have what they couldn’t in the past?

Kise clutched his chest as if in pain, his heart racing along with the thoughts going through his head, at how much sense they made… and what it would mean for him.

He felt a tear run down his face, and Kise swiped at it angrily, but his effort was futile as another tear ran down his face.

Why was he crying?

Kise took a shuddering breath, now completely lost as he came to an unfamiliar room. Unlike the rest of the museum, it was dark and dimly lit, and looked more like a storage room than an exhibit. But since the last thing Kise wanted in his state was to run into another person, it was the perfect place to regain his composure.

He was an idiot… he had actually believed that he would be enough for someone like Kaiba…someone who had everything and could have anyone. What made him think he was worthy?

He was just a foolish kid. A kid who couldn’t even figure out what he wanted to do with his life. He couldn’t even win a simple basketball tournament! Why had he thought that someone like Kaiba would give him the time of day? That he could give him his heart and expect his feelings to be returned?

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Before Kise could continue down his spiraling thoughts, a sharp jolt of pain shot through his head, and his hand moved to grasp his head at the unexpected pain.

Finally paying attention to his surroundings, Kise opened his eyes to see that he stood in front of a display of what looked to be a fossil, and within it… the shape of a snake.

With his full attention on the display, another jolt of pain shot through his body, and Kise felt one of the strongest pains he ever had.

“What the…” Kise clutched his head as he tried to focus past the pain.

“Well, well, well, a part of you managed to escape after all. I knew this would lure you here.”

Kise turned to the source of the voice and was met with an unfamiliar figure. The person that spoke looked like a young man, shorter than him and slim, with feminine features and long green hair, dressed in a simple but elegant purple suit. His voice wasn’t deep, and on his face was a mischievous grin.

“I have to admit, your new body looks good… but how did you get it to look just like you? It is an uncanny resemblance.”

Kise frowned at what the unfamiliar man was saying, but before he could say anything another sharp pain shot through his body, and this time, it drove Kise to his knees as he fell to the ground with a loud groan.

Why… why was he feeling this way? His head felt like it was going to burst, and his body suddenly felt heavy.

“W-what are you talking about? Who are you?” Kise asked through the pain, suddenly aware that he was in a dangerous situation, and needing answers and a way to stall. Maybe someone would find him before this lunatic tried anything…

The green-haired man only smiled wider, and rather than mischievous; his smile was now laced with malice.

“Do not play dumb… I know you are up to something. I must admit though… I am surprised it took you this long to do something about your situation. You must have really lost your edge after I died. You are nowhere near what you once were… to think you actually managed to defeat me once.”

Kise’s head continued to throb, and his vision was shaking now. Was this guy doing this to him? But how? Had he been drugged somehow?

“Listen… I really have no idea what you’re talking about. You have the wrong person.”

Speaking took all his strength, but Kise had to do what he could to dissuade this guy. He was in a bad spot… what was he talking about? Who did he think he was? What did he mean after he died?

And that’s when his eyes widened… could this be related to Gilgamesh? Did this guy think he was him?

Could he be… Enkidu?

Before Kise could ask however, the green-haired man made his way over to Kise, and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, lifting him up effortlessly and holding him up against the wall beside them. Despite the man’s smaller size, his strength was no joke as he pressed Kise painfully to the wall.

“I am not here for games… it is time to take you back now.”

As something began to glow in the man’s other hand, Kise saw something move from the corner of his eye, and Enkidu was ripped away from Kise and thrown to the side as Kaiba’s familiar figure placed itself between them.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Kaiba’s tone was angry and demanding as he faced the green-haired man that looked little more than a teenager, and Kise was flooded with relief at his appearance.

How had he known where he was? But it didn’t matter… he felt better knowing Kaiba was there.

The unknown man was not pleased as he set his sights on the brunette, and glared at Kaiba defiantly.

“This business does not concern you… I suggest you leave while you have the chance.”

Kaiba glared hotly at the green-haired man. He had come looking for Kise when he was taking longer than he expected. Feeling something off, Kaiba had gone looking for him, and he was glad he had. He certainly hadn’t expected him to be held up against a wall by some strange guy. Not to mention… even now Kise looked shaken and in pain, he was breathing heavily and a sheen of sweat was visible on his forehead.

“Unfortunately for you… anything concerning this kid’s safety _is_ my business. And if you know what’s good for you, _you’ll_ be the one leaving while you have the chance.”

Now, the green-haired man looked amused again.

“Oh? And what exactly to you plan to do if I refuse?”

This time, it was Kaiba who smirked as he pulled up a holographic panel from his watch and enacted some commands.

“Well, I’ve called my private security detail. I guarantee you they are no amateurs.”

The young man across from him looked unconcerned as he turned his gaze to the blonde just behind Kaiba.

“How the mighty have fallen. How does it feel to rely on this mortal for protection? How pitiful…so much for being a _King_.”

Kaiba’s eyes narrowed at the proclamation of the man in front of him. Having come across too many men that spoke as if they weren’t human… and knowing what he knew about Kise’s past, Kaiba quickly reassessed the situation, and knew now that this was no simple stranger looking for trouble.

“I see… you must be Enkidu.”

At Kaiba’s observation, the man blinked in surprise before looking pleased.

“Ah, so you do know me. Well, this makes things a little more interesting…”

Kise cried out once more and fell to the ground on his knees.

“I think I understand what is going on now…” Enkidu said off-handedly while Kaiba resisted the urge to go to the blonde’s side at his apparent agony, but he couldn’t turn his focus away from Enkidu in case he tried anything.

“Kaiba? Did you find Kise?”

Their attention turned to the approach and sound of the female voice, and Kaiba tensed as the woman came into view and froze at the situation before her.

“Leave Kisara! This man is dangerous!”

Kisara’s eyes widened as Enkidu’s gaze trained on her, and before anyone could react, chains seemed to come out of the ground and flew in her direction, quickly wrapping around her body as she gasped in pain, before the chains seemed to follow an unspoken command as they brought her chained body to stand beside Enkidu.

Kaiba’s glare only intensified as he clenched his fists and looked at Enkidu with pure hate.

“Tell Gilgamesh that I demand his surrender. I will happily trade him the girl. Until then… we shall be in touch.”

Kise felt his heart clench at the sight of what Enkidu had done, and as his vision once more began to shake, both men watched as Enkidu opened up what looked like a portal out of thin air that engulfed both him and Kisara, before disappearing and leaving nothing behind.

With Enkidu gone, Kaiba turned his attention to Kise, leaning down beside him to assess his condition.

“Kise… what’s wrong? What did he do to you? Are you hurt?”

Kise could barely focus on what Kaiba was asking. His mind was going blank, his vision was so shaky…

“Kaibacchi… I…”

But that was all he could say before his vision went dark, and Kaiba just barely managed to catch Kise’s body as it fell forward at his loss of consciousness.

Damn it… what the hell was going on?


	33. Gilgamesh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaiba meets his match in the most unlikely of circumstances as destiny deals its cards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow writing these interactions was so fun. Next chapter's interactions were probably even more fun. You guys have been lucky to get pretty frequent updates, but we've hit that point where next chapter is the last one I have complete, so updates will now take longer. Also I'm waiting to see more episodes of FGO Babylonia anime so that might hinder updates a bit, we shall see!

Kaiba managed to get Kise back to his penthouse and had ordered his security detail to find Enkidu. With his satellite system, it was only a matter of time before he found out Enkidu’s whereabouts and made sure he paid for what he had done. 

Until then, his main concern was the condition of the blonde asleep on his bed. He looked relaxed in his unconscious state, his pulse and breathing were steady, but despite Kaiba’s efforts, the blonde still hadn’t woken up. It had been a few hours since the events at the museum, and although Kaiba knew there was no need to be worried, he still hadn’t been able to leave the blonde’s side. 

What the hell was going on? 

How was Enkidu alive? And why had he demanded Gilgamesh’s surrender? How had he learned about Kise? And why then? None of it made sense… 

Enkidu was a threat, a dangerous one at that. What he had done to capture Kisara and disappear into thin air was proof that what they were dealing with was ancient magic. While Kaiba was confident in his ability to deal with ancient spirits and their tricks with his own technology, it meant that he had to be cautious and alert at all times. He couldn’t afford to let his guard down for even a moment. 

Especially when it concerned Kise. 

As Kaiba looked out at the night-lit city that was Domino, movement in the reflection of the window caught his attention, and Kaiba turned around to look at the bed where Kise’s figure was rousing from his unconscious state as he sat up in the bed. Relief coursed through Kaiba as he walked over to ask the blonde how he was feeling, but froze in his tracks when Kise opened his eyes. 

Rather than the warm golden eyes that Kaiba had expected to see, it was a pair of crimson red eyes that greeted him. 

Those eyes were cold and guarded, and Kaiba knew immediately that this was no longer Kise. 

It had to be none other than the famous Gilgamesh, King of Uruk. 

Kaiba frowned as he waited for the man before him to speak, his body tense with apprehension at the change. 

The man turned his calculative gaze towards Kaiba, giving him an unimpressed once over as he stood from the bed. The air that he exuded was much different than the carefree energy that Kise gave off. He stood with the confidence of a man who knew what he was doing and not to be trifled with, and Kaiba felt the hairs in the back of his neck stand on edge at the powerful aura. 

Kaiba never felt intimidated… but the presence of this man made even him feel on edge. Despite that, Kaiba squared his shoulder as the man walked towards him. 

“What did you do with Kise?” Kaiba demanded, and clenched his fists when the man ignored him completely in favor of walking past him and towards the large window of his room. 

Kaiba glared at the back of his figure as he watched the world outside, and he could only imagine that the sight of the city landscape was a vast difference from the world this so-called Babylonian King had left behind. 

“How long have I been sealed for?” 

Kaiba frowned at the sound of this man’s voice. He sounded like Kise… but a much colder version of the boy he had grown to know. 

Realizing that there were too many unknowns in this situation, Kaiba chose to reign in his pride and answer his question. 

“Five thousand years.” 

For a moment, the man didn’t move from his place, and Kaiba was quickly growing annoyed. He didn’t have the time for this. He needed to know what this man had done with Kise. 

Before he could repeat his question however, the blonde turned to face him again, his eyes cold and uncaring as he approached Kaiba, and as he came to a stop before him, Kaiba froze as the man grabbed ahold of his chin firmly, and glared as the man so carelessly examined him, hating the fact that he felt unable to move. 

“You look just like him… but I can see you are not _ my _ Seto. Nevertheless… you will have to do while I deal with Enkidu.” 

At the dismissive tone, Kaiba broke from Gilgamesh’s grasp and created distance between them as he glared at him with renewed fervor. 

“What do you mean deal with Enkidu? What does he want with you? And what have you done with Kise?” 

Despite the situation, Gilgamesh looked annoyed by Kaiba’s questions. 

“Worry not… what shall I call you, Seto of this time? I would prefer not to use that name for you.” 

Kaiba’s lip twitched at the condescending tone of this man. How was it possible that Kise was the reincarnation of this prick? 

“Kaiba is fine…” Kaiba replied, not too pleased with the arrogance of this man. And coming from him… it said a lot. 

“Very well then, Kaiba. Rest assured that the boy whose body this belongs to is fine. I have merely taken over his body, and he is asleep.” 

Before Kaiba could demand that Gilgamesh wake Kise and return his body, he spoke again. 

“Tell me… what do you know of me?” 

Kaiba followed the figure of Gilgamesh as he leisurely walked to the nearby desk in his room, and frowned when he sat down on the chair comfortably and regarded Kaiba with a bored expression. Reminding himself that he had to handle this man with care, Kaiba once more acquiesced to the ancient man. 

“I know that you are Gilgamesh, a Babylonian King of thousands of years ago. I know from recent events that your travels led you to ancient Egypt, where you became friends with a certain Pharaoh and stayed for a while. I know that something happened with Enkidu that made you go back to your old city, and that you never returned.” 

Kaiba watched as a storm of emotions crossed Gilgamesh’s face, but was not able to read any of them. 

“A friend? Is that what was said?” Gilgamesh looked both affronted and amused, “I shall make sure to pay him back for that. Well… Kaiba… it seems you are well informed. In light of these events, I shall enlighten you with the rest. Please, sit, it might be a lengthy tale.” 

Kaiba frowned and crossed his arms. 

“No thanks. How about you make it quick and to the point. I don’t really care what happened in the past. What I care about, is that you bring Kise back, and tell me how to get to Enkidu and the hostage he’s taken. After all, it’s _ you _ he wants.” 

Kaiba watched with annoyance at the grin that spread across Gilgamesh’s lips. 

“You truly are his reincarnation. Good. You would not be worthy of my time if you were not even the slightest like him. Very well. I will keep it brief. I am as eager as you to finally settle this matter.” 

With a sigh, Gilgamesh spoke again. 

“While I never found out how Enkidu returned to life, it was clear that something had changed about him. When I encountered him again it was clear he wanted vengeance from me, he said I was unworthy of the title of being King, and of being his friend. After a brief battle, he managed to somehow get the upper hand, and sealed me away somewhere.” 

Kaiba frowned when Gilgamesh held up his hand, and not for the first time, noticed the gold ring on one of his fingers. He had asked Kise about it when they went to Nicaragua, and Kise had told him it had been a gift, but not from who. 

“Before I left Egypt however, I used my magic to leave a part of my soul sealed within this ring, and left it in the care of Seto. It seems I was wise to do so…” 

Kaiba frowned, he hadn’t cared to ask Kise who had given him the ring, but now it was obvious who the benefactor was. 

“However, this part of myself you see before you is only a small portion of my soul. While I have managed to regain some of the memories of my complete self thanks to the snake fossil relic back at the museum that served as a catalyst, I am far from complete. It must have helped that this reincarnation of mine came across the ring, otherwise I can’t imagine being able to have the awareness I do. Truly… fate seems to have been in my favor.” 

“What do you intend to do now?” Kaiba asked, more or less grasping the situation. 

Gilgamesh smirked. 

“Why… free the rest of my soul of course. I will never be truly at peace until the rest of it is freed from whatever prison Enkidu has me in. Not to mention, I refuse to let him get away with what he has robbed me of.” 

Kaiba glared defiantly at the man before him. 

“That body is not yours to use. Bring Kise back and find another way to free your soul.” 

Kaiba once more tensed at the look of displeasure that crossed Gilgamesh’s face, even more so when he stood up and approached Kaiba, his figure imposing as he held his blue gaze. 

“I do not think you realize your place, Kaiba. You are in no position to make demands. Your precious Kise is at my mercy, and Enkidu holds a hostage you seem interested in getting back as well. You are as involved in this matter as I am, and I suggest you hold your tongue.” 

Kaiba held his own as he and Gilgamesh had a stare off, neither blinking as their gazes remained locked onto each other, neither willing to back down. 

But Kaiba hated to admit that Gilgamesh had a point. He was now involved, Enkidu having taken Kisara had made sure of that. Even if he somehow managed to extract Gilgamesh from Kise’s body, the fact that his security had yet to find Enkidu meant that Gilgamesh might be the only one capable of managing that feat. 

As much as Kaiba would like nothing more than to show Gilgamesh that he didn’t need him, perhaps it was best to work with him. 

With a sigh, Kaiba relaxed as he closed his eyes. 

“Very well. An enemy of my enemy is my friend,” Kaiba recited, although _friend _was far from what he saw Gilgamesh as. 

Gilgamesh for his part, looked pleased at Kaiba’s change of attitude. 

“I’ll work with you to get Enkidu and get Kisara back… but in return… I want your guarantee that Kise will not be hurt in the process.” 

Gilgamesh laughed, but his laugh was good natured. 

“You think I would let this body be hurt in any way? I need it for the battle ahead. But rest assured, I will go through great lengths to protect it. So… what do you offer in good faith? How do I know you are of use to me at all in this endeavor?” 

Kaiba glared hotly at the man, not used to being spoken down to, but why did it seem like every time he was, it was from long dead people that had no business turning their noses down on him? Did they really think that just because they had some magic, they could overtake him? How foolish. Hadn’t he proven time and time again that his technology was more than enough to take on their magic tricks? 

“I can take you to see your precious Seto.” 

Kaiba took great pleasure in the way that the confident and composed Gilgamesh was taken by surprise at what he was offering. 

“Impossible... Seto must have been dead for thousands of years…” 

This time, it was Kaiba that smirked. 

“Hmph. I suggest you don’t make the mistake of underestimating me. I don’t know who you think I am, but I assure you I am not as useless as you think. In fact, it’s likelier that_ you _are the one that needs _me_, not the other way around. You nor Enkidu are the first ancient spirits I’ve had to deal with, and I’m more than capable of handling myself.” 

Now, it was Gilgamesh who looked at Kaiba with apprehension. 

“In fact,” Kaiba continued, “I doubt that as you are, you are in any position to be making demands either. Where’s your magic? I doubt that you have enough power to handle someone like Enkidu in your weakened state, let alone me.” 

Kaiba knew he hit a nerve in the way that Gilgamesh's eyes darkened. Good. He would soon learn better than to look down on him. 

“The only reason I’m agreeing to work with you, is because it’s the easiest option. While I’m sure I could find a way to rip you away from Kise and find Enkidu myself, I simply don’t have that kind of time. And in a show of good faith, and because something tells me that my past self will know something to make things easier for us, I’ll take you with me to see him.” 

There was another moment of tense silence as the two glared at each other, and this time, it was Gilgamesh who sighed and relaxed. 

“I see. Forgive my initial assessment of you. It seems you are indeed someone worthy of my respect. I look forward to working with you towards a common goal.” 

Kaiba huffed. 

“Let’s be on our way then. I don’t like to waste time.” 

With a smirk, Gilgamesh nodded. 

“Very well…lead the way.” 

* * *

The car ride to their destination was mostly silent, with Gilgamesh taking in what he considered the future. If he had any questions, he didn’t ask. He followed Kaiba silently towards the elevator that would take them to his space station, and looked apprehensive as they stepped in. 

“What is all this metal? It does not resemble iron or bronze.” 

It was the first thing he had asked since they left Kaiba’s penthouse, and Kaiba huffed as he crossed his arms and leaned against the elevator while it powered up. 

“It’s called titanium. And this is a form of technology. Magic is an outdated craft. Technology is considered a far superior force during this time, and believe me, I have the best of it.” 

Gilgamesh smirked at Kaiba’s reply. 

“How fitting. Then it seems I am in capable hands.” 

Kaiba only spared the blonde a glance, not bothering with a reply as the elevator began its ascent and smirked at the way Gilgamesh was thrown off guard by the velocity of his craft. And this wasn’t even the best part… 

Ignoring Gilgamesh’s complaints about their form of travel, and the awed look on his face as he saw Earth from the view of his space station, Kaiba led him along and put on him the gear they would need to travel to the afterlife, and as they settled themselves on his space ship, Kaiba spared Gilgamesh one final glance. 

“If you thought the elevator was bad… you’re _ really _ going to hate this.” 

Gilgamesh frowned at Kaiba’s words but said nothing as the mechanical voice of Kaiba’s AI spoke and began the countdown. 

The trip was as unpleasant as always, but before long they reached their destination, and looking as nauseous but holding his own better than others, Gilgamesh followed him into the desert. 

“Impossible… we really are in Egypt… but it feels different…” Gilgamesh observed. 

“That’s because we didn’t travel through time, this is the afterlife, a different dimension.” 

Gilgamesh looked at Kaiba with admiration. 

“Impressive… your _ technology _ is capable of such a feat. I am beginning to think it was a good thing we became allies instead of enemies.” 

“Your assessment would be correct. But it’s not too late for us to become enemies.” 

Gilgamesh frowned at the subtle threat, but said nothing as he continued to follow the brunette. Before long they reached the gates of the city of Atem, and as the guards let them through with no comment, Kaiba led the way. 

Kaiba watched Gilgamesh out of the corner of his eye as he looked around at their surroundings, a look of longing on his face. For a moment, Kaiba felt a shred of pity for the man, knowing that he must be thinking back to the life he had lived there before he left to face Enkidu, never to return again. 

As they reached the palace and approached the throne room, Kaiba wondered what the Pharaoh would think of Gilgamesh. Did they even know of each other? Well, he would find out soon enough. 

As Gilgamesh followed him and they were let through by the guards, Atem was already waiting for them on his throne, much like he always seemed to be when he arrived. Seriously, is all he did in the afterlife was sit on that chair? How boring. 

“Kaiba… Kise… what an unexpected surprise,” Atem greeted as he rose from his throne. 

Kaiba sighed. 

“Sorry Atem, but we’re not here for you this time. I want to talk to the priest that looks like me. Can you fetch him?” 

Kaiba could see that the guards were not pleased with how he spoke to their Pharaoh, but also knew that their leader would reprimand them if they did or said something to Kaiba. 

Atem looked confused by his request, but nodded and turned to one of his guards to tell him to bring Priest Seto. 

“Heh… so you are the Pharaoh that ruled before Seto…” Gilgamesh said as he looked at Atem with an appraising look. 

From the guarded look on his face, Kaiba couldn’t tell if he was pleased or disappointed by the fact. 

Atem also looked confused by the blonde’s statement, but finally seemed to notice the difference between Kise and the man that now stood before him. Before he could say anything however, Priest Seto was already arriving. It looked like he hadn’t been far. 

When he saw that Kaiba and a familiar blonde were present, he seemed surprised, but not as surprised as everyone else was when the blonde next to Kaiba began to run towards him and practically tackled him to the ground. 

As they fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs, Gilgamesh wrapped his arms around the priest, before kissing him fully on the mouth in front of everyone present. 

Kaiba felt himself tense with anger at the display… how dare he! That was Kise’s body he was using! 

The priest seemed surprised by the action, and gently pried the blonde away from him, only for his eyes to widen when he saw the familiar red eyes looking back at him. 

“Impossible… Gil? Is that you?” 

Gilgamesh was grinning widely, and for the first time, Kaiba could see a reflection of Kise’s usual cheerful energy in the man as he placed a tender hand on the priest’s cheek. 

“My beloved… it has been a while.” 

Seeing that it was exactly who he thought he was, Priest Seto pulled Gilgamesh into his arms and held him tight. 

“I thought I had lost you forever… how is this possible?” 

“Alright, knock it off. We’re here for a reason.” 

Priest Seto looked up at the glowering form of Kaiba, and the man in his arms chuckled. 

“Your other self is right.” 

Priest Seto and Gilgamesh helped each other up. 

“I am afraid I am only borrowing this body… and if we do not do something about my current situation, I might truly be lost forever.” 

Priest Seto’s face hardened at Gilgamesh’s statement. 

“I see… so you are in Ryota’s body. It seems my hunch was correct…it was a good thing I gave him the ring.” 

At the explanation, Kaiba felt a new wave of anger flow through him as he turned to the priest and grabbed him by the collar. So he had been right… it _ had _ been his fault. 

“I knew this was your doing! What the hell were you thinking dragging Kise into this?” Kaiba demanded as he brought his face close to his past self. 

His doppelganger glared at him, but broke from Kaiba’s grasp with ease. 

“I knew when Ryota told me of his vision that it had to do with the ring. The logical explanation was that fate brought him here to reclaim the ring that Gilgamesh left with me. I did nothing wrong, the ring was never mine to begin with. What is happening now was fated to happen. That is how destiny works.” 

Kaiba’s glare didn’t fall from his face as he looked at the mirror image of himself. He was sick of talks of destiny and being dragged into whatever sick plans it had. Hadn’t he done enough already? 

“It seems we have much to catch up on,” Gilgamesh said with a smile as he looked at Priest Seto, who nodded. 

“Forgive us, but do you mind if we speak in private?” 

Kaiba glared hotly at the two men. 

“I don’t think so, you think I trust you alone with Kise’s body? Especially after _ that _ display?” 

Gilgamesh grinned mischievously at what Kaiba was implying and laughed as he wrapped an arm around Priest Seto’s shoulders and pointed at Kaiba. 

“How cute! Look Seto, he reminds me of _ you _ when you get jealous and possessive.” 

Kaiba resisted the urge to growl at Gilgamesh’s mocking tone, and Priest Seto looked at the blonde with a reprimanding glower before he sighed and looked back at Kaiba. 

“You have my word that we will not disrespect Ryota in that manner. As a courtesy to you both, we will respect his body. But it has been 5,000 years since I have seen Gilgamesh… there is much I would like to know about the events that have happened.” 

Kaiba frowned at the priest, but could hear the sincerity in his words. He didn’t want to leave them alone… but something else told him he should. 

“Fine… but if I you break your promise, I’ll personally see to it that both your souls are erased from existence. Mark my words.” 

With a final glare in their direction, Kaiba turned and walked away from the pair, still uneasy about leaving them alone, and when he turned to look back, the two were already walking away. 

“Kaiba…” Kaiba turned see Atem standing before him, “Do you mind telling me what’s going on?” 

With a sigh, Kaiba nodded, and as Atem led them to a place to sit, Kaiba filled the Pharaoh in on what had happened since their last visit.

When he was done, Atem looked very surprised. 

“I see… what an unexpected turn of events… I never even knew that Seto had a lover when he was still alive… let alone another King from a different land…” 

Kaiba huffed. 

“I’m surprised… shouldn’t you know everything after you die? Isn’t that the perks of the afterlife?” 

Atem chuckled. 

“I’m afraid it doesn’t quite work that way. I’m only aware of certain things that pertain to and depend on me.” 

“Figures.” 

Atem smiled, his gaze calculative as he could practically see Kaiba’s unease radiating off him. 

“Tell me Kaiba… what do you think about Kise, especially after seeing the connection your past selves shared?” 

Atem could see that Kaiba was worried about the blonde, and his actions spoke louder than words. After all, how could anyone not see his anger and jealousy when it came to the blonde? Still, he was curious to see Kaiba’s take on the matter. 

Kaiba frowned, seeing what Atem was asking, and not at all liking it. But from the knowing look in Atem’s eyes… that frustrating look that Atem always seemed to look at him with when he knew something that Kaiba didn’t, Kaiba knew that Atem already knew the answer. So why even bother hiding it? 

With a sigh, Kaiba reluctantly answered. 

“Kise is… _special_. And I don’t like that he’s been dragged into whatever problems the Babylonian King got himself into five thousand years ago.” 

Atem smiled gently at Kaiba, happy to see that he was truthful on the matter. 

“I see… I have to admit Kaiba… I’m pleased to see that you’ve grown to care for someone outside of Mokuba… someone you’re willing to go to such lengths to help. I see that you care deeply for Kise, and I hope that you don’t push him away after everything is said and done. You might like to believe otherwise… but you’re human… and letting someone into your heart won’t make you any less great.” 

Kaiba huffed as he crossed his arms in front of him. 

“Listen Atem, I didn’t come here for a lecture. How about you mind your own business and stay out of my love life?” 

This time it was Atem that smirked mischievously, and Kaiba was quick to catch his mistake. 

“Who said anything about love?” Atem teased with a glint in his eyes, and Kaiba tensed at his slip of the tongue. 

Had he honestly just used Kise and his love life in the same sentence? He hadn’t forgotten about what he had promised the blonde that day… but… was he ready to face the implications of that? No… now was not the time for that. There were bigger problems at hand. 

“What do you plan to do about this situation?” Atem asked, and Kaiba was grateful for the change in subject. 

“I’ll do whatever it takes to free Kise of that Babylonian leech of course. And to do that, we have to get rid of Enkidu to free his soul apparently. This is just another bunch of egotistic ancient spirits that don’t seem to know when to stay dead and let bygones be bygones, as if I don’t have plenty of experience in _that_ department.” 

Atem chuckled lightly at the implications of their own adventures. 

“I see… I have complete faith in you Kaiba. I will do what I can to help you… but I’m afraid my powers might be limited given the situation. I no longer have a hold on your world, I made sure of that after erasing the existence of the millennium puzzle for good.” 

Kaiba sighed. 

“Don’t worry Atem, for once, this isn’t your fight. Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ve left those two alone long enough. I still don’t trust them, and we need to figure out what our next step is.” 

Atem smiled in understanding and nodded. 

“Very well, I’ll help you look for them. I think it’s best I stick close... in case you feel the urge to kill either of them.” 

Kaiba resisted the urge to roll his eyes, but assented as he followed Atem in search of the current thorns in his life. 

* * *

When they found them, the two were sitting closely but Kaiba was glad to see that there was no funny business and unwelcomed touching going on. 

“Oh, perfect timing. We have come up with a plan,” Gilgamesh said as he turned his attention to Kaiba, a confident smirk on his face. 

Kaiba frowned, still not used to seeing red eyes on Kise’s face. 

“Not so fast. Before you tell me whatever plan you’ve thought of, I want to have Kise’s consent to your use of his body during all of this. If he says he’s against it, then our deal is off and I will gladly find a way to rip you away from his body.” 

Gilgamesh’s demeanor quickly changed as he glared at Kaiba defiantly. 

“What makes you think I would agree to that?” 

Kaiba smirked. 

“Because if you don’t, I’ll rip you away from him regardless. I did say that there’s still time to be enemies, didn’t I?” 

Kaiba and Gilgamesh had a stare off, and both Priest Seto and Atem wouldn’t be surprised if either of them lunged at the other. 

Priest Seto sighed and put a calming hand on Gilgamesh’s shoulder. 

“Gil, do as he says. We need him for what is to come next. And I have met Ryota, he will help, I am sure of it.” 

Gilgamesh turned to Priest Seto, his gaze searching his face before he visibly relaxed and nodded, then turned to look at Kaiba. 

“Very well. I will wake him and give him _ temporary _control. But if you so much as try anything, I will regain control and make you regret it,” Gilgamesh warned as he stood from where he had been sitting and walked over to stand before Kaiba. 

Kaiba’s glare didn’t subside as he simply watched Gilgamesh expectantly, and watched as Gilgamesh closed his eyes and visibly relaxed, and Kaiba reached out when Kise’s body fell forward, catching him with ease and holding up his body as he felt the blonde go still for a moment, and felt anger at Gilgamesh for his carelessness. 

But as he felt the blonde stir in his arms, relief coursed through him as he searched Kise’s relaxed face and watched as his eyes opened. 

Kaiba hadn’t realized how much he had missed the sight of his warm golden eyes until he was able to see them again, and warmth coursed through him at the familiar sight. 

“Kise?” Kaiba asked softly, still needing confirmation that this was really the blonde and not one of Gilgamesh’s tricks. 

The blonde blinked as he looked around in confusion, not moving from Kaiba’s hold as he took in the sight that was most certainly not the museum, but still felt ancient. 

“Kaibacchi... are we in the afterlife?” 

Hearing the familiar nickname and tone of voice, Kaiba pulled the blonde tight against him before he realized what he was doing, and Kise’s eyes widened at the unexpected embrace, his cheeks immediately flushing as his own arms moved to wrap around Kaiba and his chest burst with warmth. 

“Is everything okay?” Kise asked tentatively, not really wanting the moment to end but still confused how he got there, not to mention, he was just remembering the events that had happened at the museum. 

He wasn’t in pain anymore, but if they were in the afterlife... 

“Am I dead?!” Kise cried out, panic making him pull away from Kaiba as he looked himself over, but saw nothing out of place and felt relief when he saw that the duel disk contraption was on his arm. 

Kaiba chuckled at the look on the blonde’s face. 

“No, you’re alive. But some things have happened since the museum we need to talk about.” 

Kise frowned at the serious look on Kaiba’s face, before he nodded. 

The two sat down where Gilgamesh and Priest Seto had been sitting, and it seemed said priest and Atem gave Kaiba and Kise just enough space while still keeping them in sight as Kaiba told Kise what had happened, the appearance of Gilgamesh through the ring, Enkidu’s demands, and why they came to the afterlife. 

“Before we do anything else, I want to make sure you agree with what Gilgamesh is doing. If you want him out of your body, I will find a way to get him out, and we can forget about this whole mess.” 

Kise frowned as he processed the information that Kaiba had shared with him, his mind reeling about the turn of events his life had suddenly taken. Once more, Kise proved his adaptability when he took in a steading breath, before looking at Kaiba with a look of determination. 

“We need to help them Kaibacchi. I understand why Gilgamesh would want to be free of Enkidu, and what Enkidu has done is wrong. I don’t know why he wants to punish Gilgamesh like he does... but from his actions at the museum, he doesn’t seem like a good guy. Not to mention... he kidnapped Kisara, and that involves us. She has nothing to do with this, and doesn’t deserve to be used as hostage. And... she once meant a lot to you, she gave you Blue-Eyes. We owe it to her to save her.” 

Kaiba could see Kise deflate at the last part while he talked about Kisara. He looked guilty and sad... not to mention... pained? 

“But Kaibacchi... if you don’t want to be involved. I understand. I’ll do everything I can to get Kisara back.” 

Kaiba frowned, a twinge of something unfamiliar pulling at his chest at Kise’s words. Why was this kid offering to do something for someone just because they had a connection to his past? Was he doing it for _him_? Was he insane? 

“Are you an idiot? What can you do against someone like Enkidu? He has his magic tricks, and as far as I can see, I don’t see how Gilgamesh plans on taking him out either. Not to mention he had no right to involve you in this. But now that you are, I’m the one that has the resources and technology to do anything about this situation.” 

Kise visibly grimaced, and looked away and down at the ground, his fists clenching on his lap. 

Kaiba immediately felt guilty, and sighed as he reached for Kise and grabbed his hand, making Kise look at him in surprise. 

“What I mean to say is... I don’t trust Gilgamesh with your safety alone. Honestly... I could care less about Gilgamesh or even Enkidu, and I’m sure we could get Kisara back on our own just fine. But... if you want to help them, I want to help _you_. Because...” 

Kaiba paused, and the look of sincerity reflected in his blue eyes made Kise’s heart skip a beat. 

“We still have a date to go on... and how can we do that if something happens to you?” 

Kise felt his breath hitch as he practically forgot how to breathe at the happiness that filled him, and without warning, Kise launched himself at Kaiba, practically sprawling into his lap while wrapping his arms around his neck and bring his face closer to his, his eyes searching Kaiba’s blue orbs for any sign of deception, but found none. 

“Kaibacchi… you mean that?” Kise whispered as his golden eyes glittered with hope and vulnerability, and Kaiba felt himself get lost in those molten pools. His own hands wrapped around Kise’s waist as he brought the blonde closer to him. 

Kaiba nodded, and this time, Kise didn’t hesitate to kiss him. 

Nothing could have kept him from it as he closed the distance between them, and despite how many times they had kissed in the past few weeks, this time felt different. 

It felt more… _ real_. Even though they were in the afterlife, even if there was an ancient spirit inside of him… this moment felt more real than any other moment before then. 

It was soft and lingering, and Kise felt as if something inside him was bursting in the best possible way. 

** _ “That is e_****_nough of that._****_” _ **

Kise frowned at the sound of the unfamiliar yet familiar voice inside his head, and Kise reluctantly pulled away from Kaiba as he felt an odd sensation in his head. Not painful… just…_ full_. 

“Kaibacchi… I think Gilgamesh is talking to me.” 

Kaiba frowned as he looked back at Kise’s perplexed face, but said nothing as Kise’s gaze focused on nothing in particular. 

** _ “_****_It is a pleasure to meet you, Kise Ryota. I am indeed Gilgamesh._****_” _ **

This time, Kise smiled. 

“Nice to meet you Gilgamesh. I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m sorry to hear about what Enkidu did to you…but did you really need to give me the worst headache of my life?” 

Kise blinked when he felt more than heard a chuckle from the spirit. 

** _ “_****_You are as Seto described. _ ** ** _ It _ ** ** _ surprises me you are so willing to help _ ** ** _ … considering your lover’s resistance._****_” _ **

This time Kise blushed, but his chest warmed at Gilgamesh’s reference to Kaiba. He liked the sound of that from someone else. 

“Well, you heard what I had to say to Kaibacchi… that’s how I feel. Enkidu needs to pay… and you deserve your freedom. Five thousand years is a long time to be imprisoned…” 

_ Not to mention… he has Kisara. _

Gilgamesh chuckled again as he heard Kise’s unspoken thought. He could feel Kise’s jealousy, and he had to admit saving a girl he was jealous of spoke volumes of Kise’s personality. 

How interesting. 

** _ “_****_Now, _ ** ** _ while I hate _ ** ** _ to take you away from your moment with this man, time if of the essence, and _****_as _****_agreed on, _****_since _****_you _****_ha_****_ve given us your consent, I will _ ** ** _ regain control of your body to continue to the next phase of the plan._****_” _ **

Kise frowned at the reminder of his unexpected hitchhiker and time sensitive manner, but knew that indeed this is what the agreement would mean. 

“Does that mean you’re going to put me to sleep again?” 

At the question, Kise felt another wave of warmth blossom in his chest when he felt Kaiba’s grip on him tighten and he visibly frowned, and Kise placed his hand reassuringly over one of his. 

** _ “_****_In light of your willingness to help us, _ ** ** _ I wi_****_ll allow you to remain conscious in your body. You _****_wi_****_ll be aware of what is going on, _****_but I _****_wi_****_ll be in control. You should _****_be able to communicate with me as well._****_” _ **

At this, Kise blinked in surprise. 

“Oh… well that’s generous of you. If you don’t count the fact you’re still hijacking my body…” Kise chuckled, before he sighed and turned to look back at Kaiba. 

“Well Kaibacchi… looks like it’s time for Gilgamesh to come back. Good news is he says he’ll let me stay awake, so I’ll be able to see and hear what’s going on, so I’ll be able to watch your back.” 

Kaiba was still noticeably tense, but he nodded, and Kise could tell that he still wasn’t happy about the situation. 

With another sigh, Kise wrapped his arms around Kaiba, and brought his face close to his again, so that their noses were almost touching. 

“I guess I’ll see you in a bit Kaibacchi… be careful, okay? I won’t be far,” Kise said with a reassuring smile. 

As he watched Kise look at him so warmly, Kaiba wondered how it was possible for this boy to look so unconcerned about what was to come. Here was an ancient spirit who wanted to use his body to free the rest of his soul and take on another ancient spirit with magical powers, but rather than be worried about his own safety, he was telling _him _to be careful. 

With a resigned sigh, Kaiba nodded, and pulled Kise even closer on his lap as he held Kise’s gaze. 

“I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise.” 

Kise’s eyes widened at Kaiba’s declaration, and his heart beat hard in his chest as he looked back into Kaiba’s sincere blue orbs. 

All Kise could do was nod to show he believed him, before he leaned in and kissed him once more, tenderly and lingering, so that Kise had to reluctantly pull away at the sound of Gilgamesh’s impatient grunt in his head. 

As Kise pulled away, he also got off Kaiba’s lap, and gave Kaiba on last lingering glance of longing before he felt the presence in his mind begin to fill him up even more, until he felt pushed to the background and as Gilgamesh had said, he was able to see through his eyes, and hear through his ears, but now his body was moving against his own accord, and Kise knew that Gilgamesh had taken over. 

** _ “_****_Gilgamesh… you better make sure Kaibacchi doesn’t get hurt. I’ll _****_find a way to personally destroy you if something happens to him because of this._****_” _ **

Gilgamesh chuckled, and Kise could _ feel _ his amusement. 

_ ‘__Fear not Ryota. Your Kaiba is a valuable asset to _ _ our cause. __I __would__ be a fool to let something happen to him.__’ _

Kise wasn’t sure how he felt about the way Gilgamesh spoke of Kaiba as if he was little more than a tool, but given his situation, it seemed that perhaps he should simply be glad that Gilgamesh saw Kaiba as valuable. Not to mention, Kise had no doubt that Kaiba could look out for himself. After all, hadn’t he already handled ancient spirits of the past and made it out just fine? If anyone could help them through this… it was him. 

Kaiba frowned as he watched Kise’s eyes once more replaced by cold red irises, resentful of Gilgamesh’s presence in Kise’s body, now more than ever after the brief moment they had. 

He hadn’t meant to tell Kise he wanted their date to happen… in fact, he had decided before the events of the museum that we would be telling the blonde just the opposite. After all, how could he agree to something so trivial as dating? Dating was something Kaiba told himself he didn’t need, something that was a waste of time and for people who sought distractions and lived simple and meaningless lives dictated by society standards. Even though Kaiba had grown fond of the blond in certain ways, something like the idea of romance was far beyond what he considered himself capable of. It was best to tell the him to move on from him and find someone else to be with. 

But after seeing Kise’s golden eyes for the first time after Gilgamesh took over his body… and perhaps because of what Atem had to say during their talk… Kaiba realized that he wasn’t willing to let go of him after all. He wasn’t sure if he could give Kise what he wanted… but perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to at least try to see where things could go. 

And like he told Kise himself… he couldn’t do that if something happened to him because of ancient spirits and their business of thousands of years prior. 

Which is what led them to now. 

“So… what’s your plan?” 


	34. The Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plan to face Enkidu and free Gilgamesh begins. But no one said it would be easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is honestly one of my favorite chapters! I loved writing the interactions between all these boys and I thought that everything came together so smoothly. I really want to write a prequel now of how Gilgamesh and Priest Seto met and fell in love. Hmm. Might definitely have to do that sometime. Again, this is the last speedy update. I'm moving this week and have a convention planned at the end of the month for AWA, so it might be some time before I actually have time to sit down and write the next chapter. Comments will definitely be motivating so let me know what you think :)

Priest Seto, Gilgamesh, and Kaiba now sat around a table as Kaiba waited for them to explain what they had come up with. It was Priest Seto that spoke first.

“As you heard the last time you were here, I sent my troops to look for a trace of Gilgamesh after he left to face Enkidu, but they found no sign. What I didn’t deem necessary to share at the time, was that though they found no sign of him, they did manage to find his grimoire, which they brought back to me. I kept it for the remainder of my life, and had it buried with me in my tomb, and considering how powerful a weapon that grimoire was, I ensured that my tomb would never be found so that it could never fall into the wrong hands.”

“If we can retrieve my grimoire, I will have more than enough power to handle Enkidu,” Gilgamesh added, and Kaiba nodded in understanding.

“How will we find this tomb of yours?” Kaiba asked as he looked at Priest Seto, who sighed.

“It will be difficult, and it would be much easier if I was able to guide you. Truthfully, I do not think you will be able to find it without me.”

Kaiba closed his eyes and folded his arms in front of him, and before either of the two other man could suggest anything, Kaiba sighed and opened his eyes.

“I think I know of a way to bring you to the other side,” he said simply.

Priest Seto narrowed his eyes as he looked at his doppelganger questioningly.

“What do you have in mind?”

“In the past, you wielded the Millennium Rod, correct?” Kaiba asked, and Priest Seto nodded, “I happen to have the Millennium Rod under my possession, do you think you can use it as a medium to awaken on the other side and use me as a host like other spirits have managed to do?”

Priest Seto looked surprised by what Kaiba was telling him, but again nodded.

“Yes, that should be easy enough to do.”

“Of course, I have a condition.”

Now, that sounded more like the Kaiba they had come to know.

“And that is?”

“You can use my body _only_ as needed to find your tomb. If Gilgamesh is going to be in control of Kise’s body, then you are not allowed to have constant control over me. Not that I doubt my ability to hold you back, but I’d prefer to have my terms laid out.”

Priest Seto sighed.

“Very well, it is only fair.”

Kaiba frowned.

“I want your word.”

This time, Priest Seto frowned.

“You have my word,” he agreed begrudgingly.

** _“Heh, Kaibacchi really is good at negotiating. No wonder he’s a businessman.”_ **

Gilgamesh frowned at Kise’s comment in his mind and had to silently agree. From the moment he met Kaiba, he had managed to hold his own and knew how to use what he had at his disposable as leverage.

“So, we are in agreement. We shall return to the other side so that Kaiba may retrieve the Millennium Rod and awaken Seto. From there we will find Seto’s tomb and collect my grimoire. Once I have access to my magic, finding the rest of my soul and handling Enkidu will be an easy matter, and we may all return to our lives… or afterlives for some of us,” Gilgamesh said with a smirk.

Priest Seto nodded, and Kaiba stood up.

“Great, let’s get going then. Time stops for no one.”

As Kaiba began to walk away, the other two men also got up and followed.

When they reached the temple gates, Kaiba was only a little surprised to see Atem waiting just beside them. He had left them alone to their planning after it was clear that they would work together without being at each other’s throat, and now he seemed to want to see them off as Kaiba stopped short of him.

“I take it you have your plan?” he asked, and Kaiba nodded, causing Atem to smile.

“Good, I wish you all luck in your endeavors.”

“Don’t worry Atem, the next time you see me, it’ll be to return your new Babylonian guest.”

* * *

They returned to Kaiba’s space station with no incident, and as Gilgamesh once more admired the sight that this advanced marvel presented him with, Kaiba was already moving about.

“And where is it you keep the Millennium Rod?” he asked.

Kaiba didn’t answer right away, but was already pressing some buttons on a panel, and with a hiss, a panel rose up from the ground that revealed a metallic case.

“This will answer your question,” Kaiba said, and soon after, the mechanical case opened to reveal the very item that Gilgamesh had asked about, as well as others.

“You possess all the Millennium Items?” Gilgamesh asked as he approached the case.

Kaiba huffed.

“Well, after the last disaster that almost destroyed the world, I decided to personally collect and lock these away in the most secure location; here. I was tired of constantly dealing with ancient spirits and thought this was as good as any way to never have to again… so much for that considering _you’re_ here.”

Gilgamesh grinned in amusement.

“I see. Well then, hurry and see if Seto succeeds in connecting to you.”

Kaiba paused to glare at him.

** _“Careful, Kaibacchi doesn’t like being ordered around.”_ **

Gilgamesh ignored Kise as he watched Kaiba reach for the Millennium Rod, as he withdrew it from the metal casing, only a moment passed before the rod began to glow a bright golden light that engulfed Kaiba’s body.

When the light subsided, Gilgamesh waited for Kaiba to speak again.

Kaiba felt his body warm up and something unfamiliar enter him. It felt like a tingle on his mind, a feeling of fullness and something that shouldn’t be there.

** _“Good. It worked. This will make matters simpler.”_ **

Hearing the familiar voice but in his thoughts that weren’t his, Kaiba was able to confirm that indeed Priest Seto was in his body now.

“It’s done.”

Gilgamesh looked pleased at the news, and thankfully knew better than to ask to speak with him.

“Good… so what’s next?”

Kaiba began to lead the way back to the elevator that would take them back to Earth.

“We’re going to Egypt.”

* * *

After taking the elevator back to Earth, Kaiba remotely called his jet that resembled his Blue-Eyes, and in only a few minutes, both him and Gilgamesh were on board and heading towards Egypt.

It was still dark out considering everything that had happened, and Kaiba and Gilgamesh took that time to sleep while the jet flew on auto pilot to their destination. After all, they would need to be rested and at full strength for what was to come.

Since Gilgamesh had some rest while Kise’s body had been unconscious, it was him that woke first, just as dawn broke over the horizon and began to illuminate the sands of Egypt. At the sight, he felt a warmth settle in the pit of the stomach. It was hard to believe that it had been five-thousand years since he had seen this land. Part of him felt as if it had just been yesterday, while another part of him truly did feel as if it had been thousands of years.

** _“You missed it, huh?”_ **

For a moment, Gilgamesh had forgotten that he had allowed Kise to remain conscious, and his voice startled him from his thoughts.

_‘It is odd… to feel so detached from what was once my home. It seems that when Enkidu used the fossil relic to draw me out… I was able to regain a part of myself that was imprisoned by him. I can feel some of what that part of me has felt while imprisoned…I can feel the pain, loneliness, anger, and resentment.’_

**“_I don’t understand… you and Enkidu were once friends, weren’t you?_ _Why does he want so badly to keep you imprisoned?”_**

_‘He said I turned my back on my kingdom when I chose to stay in Egypt. He said it was my fault the Gods punished him, and that it was his duty to make me pay for my betrayal.’ _

** _“That doesn’t make sense… he chose to help you and befriend you instead of killing you like the Gods had wanted him too, didn’t he? Friends don’t just do a complete one-eighty like that…”_ **

Gilgamesh chuckled as he looked out the window of the flying machine.

_‘Perhaps we were never really friends to begin with. I thought he was different… he wasn’t born human… so I thought he was incapable of the sins of my kind. It seems even he let me down.’_

** _“You talk as if you’re not human yourself.”_ **

This time, Gilgamesh smirked.

_‘I might have been human during my lifetime… but I was also a King. That alone made me superior to the rest.’_

** _“If you really thought that, why did you choose to stay in Egypt then? Why did you agree to settle for being Priest Seto’s right hand man instead of continuing being King of your Kingdom?”_ **

_‘He shared that with you, I see.’ _Gilgamesh said begrudgingly.

** _“Let me guess… for a long time you felt bored. Being King meant you could have everything you wanted with a snap of your fingers. People worshipped you and no one challenged you. Life was too easy. But then you met Enkidu who challenged you, and you finally found someone you could consider your equal, that made life interesting for once. Then you lost him and mourned him, and sought immortality simply to find something to do to keep the boredom at bay. Not even because you wanted immortality, but because finding it seemed like such an impossible task that it might just be interesting enough. You didn’t find it, but you found Seto instead. You fell in love with him… and being in love made you feel more alive than being King ever did.”_ **

Now Gilgamesh was frowning.

_‘You talk too much. Do not forget I can silence you anytime I want.’_

Gilgamesh heard Kise’s chuckle in his mind, and the boy sounded much too unconcerned for his liking.

** _“Don’t be like that… all I’m saying is I understand. If you’re just a previous version of me, don’t you think I feel the same?”_ **

Gilgamesh frowned deeper and had to admit that he had a point. Curious, he closed his eyes, and decided to sift through the memories of the man that was apparently his reincarnation. Interesting… so he wasn’t a King in the same sense as he was. But in a way, he was superior to those around him. His battles were different than his own were… and hardly comparable to actual war and life and death battles… but nevertheless real and important to the boy. He was truthful when he said he knew his boredom, but it seemed it was easier to be entertained in this current time period.

_‘Is there a reason you agreed to help me that is not from the kindness of your own heart?’_

Kise chuckled.

** _“Of course… helping you simply sounds more interesting than not helping you. How many people can say they’ve helped an ancient version of themselves go up against their just as ancient friend and rival to set them free while also helping to save the other possible love interest of the guy they like?”_ **

Now it was Gilgamesh’s turn to chuckle.

_‘With that answer, it really is believable that you are my reincarnation. I am not exactly the kind to fulfill a thankless role just for altruistic purposes... speaking of… what is the story behind that Kisara woman?’_

Gilgamesh could feel the uneasiness of Kise’s soul at the question, and after only a moment of hesitation Kise went on to explain the situation, what Kaiba had revealed to him about her, and how they had met her the same night that Enkidu had shown himself.

_‘I see… Seto never mentioned her at all while we were together. I had no idea that he had cared for a girl or that she had given him his Blue-Eyes. By then shadow games were a thing of the past however, so there was not much to speak about. There were other things to worry about. You really believe he would choose her over you?’_

Gilgamesh found it hard to believe, considering how Kaiba acted around Kise. Any fool could see that Kaiba cared deeply for the blonde, what else would explain everything he was doing for him and how fiercely he protected him?

** _“I mean… she would be the logical choice. She could give him more than I ever could, like children. And it would just be… easier. The current world is actually not very accepting of two men being together. And let's be honest, Kaibacchi is as logical as they come!”_ **

_‘Since when is love logical?’_ Gilgamesh challenged.

This time, Kise didn’t have an answer.

_‘Well, if your Kaiba is anything like my Seto, then I can see your frustration. I had to practically throw myself at him to get his attention, and even then, he constantly pushed me away and called me a pest.’_

Gilgamesh chuckled as he remembered those days.

_‘But there was never a dull moment... and it was always fun to rile him up and make him a little jealous once in a while.’_

Kise didn’t know what to say to that. He could feel Gilgamesh’s nostalgia, and the longing of his soul for the time that was lost to the sands of time. He could also feel a lingering pain from him, and whether it was from having to leave Egypt, or the man he had grown to love, he wasn’t sure, but Kise would guess it was both.

Kaiba woke up soon after that, and from then it didn’t take long for them to reach their destination, and Kaiba let Priest Seto take over so that he could use the Millennium Rod to pinpoint the location of the tomb.

“I’ve pinpointed the general location here, but it would be best to travel on foot to find the exact location.”

Kaiba landed the Jet, and the two men disembarked onto the familiar sands of Egypt. Kaiba was surprised by how far Priest Seto seemed to have chosen to hide his tomb from the rest of the Pharaoh’s of Egypt, with no visible landmark. But of course, that just meant he had succeeded in his endeavor.

Priest Seto wielded the Millennium Rod as he led the way through the sands of Egypt, and Kaiba hated the feeling of feeling like a passenger in his own body. The faster they found this tomb, the better.

**_“How the hell do you even know how to find this tomb if you were dead when you were buried in it?” _**Kaiba asked harshly, not hiding his annoyance.

_‘Because I had it built before I died. And only my most trusted attendants knew of its location and the ones to take me there.’_

** _“And you’re sure they did exactly that?”_ **

_‘Of course. Loyalty actually meant something back then.’_

Kaiba scoffed.

** _“Oh yeah? So your father didn’t try to betray Atem?”_ **

Kaiba could feel the guilt and embarrassment from Priest Seto, and he couldn’t help but feel victorious at his correct assessment.

_‘Nevertheless, I feel the pull of the magic still within that tomb. That’s all we need to know we’re headed in the right direction.’_

Kaiba didn’t reply, and merely looked through his own eyes as Seto walked for what felt like a short eternity before he felt a jolt of something travel up his body from the Millennium Rod.

“We’re here,” Priest Seto said, and Gilgamesh looked around at the flat and desolate land that did not look any different from the empty plains they had been crossing for the past half hour.

“There is nothing here…” he commented.

“Of course. This place was not meant to be found… remember?”

Gilgamesh frowned, but had to admit that Seto had a point.

“Well my beloved... looks like I will finally be able to see you wield your magic.”

Gilgamesh had explained to Kise that before he had met Seto, the magic of the Millennium items had already been sealed away by the sacrifice of Atem, and Kise had told Gilgamesh that Kaiba had told him that recently when Atem was awakened, the magic had been unlocked once more.

Destiny certainly was a funny thing.

Gilgamesh watched as Seto closed his eyes and held up the Millennium Rod against what looked like empty air, only for the rod to begin to glow its golden hue as its magic was activated.

The ground beneath them began to shake and rumble, and they had to fight to keep their balance as the sand in front of and under them began to move. The grains resembled a body of water as they moved about, until they parted to reveal what looked like giant brick stones beneath the surface.

“Well, this certainly looks like the correct place,” Gilgamesh pointed out as the shaking stopped, only for the stones to part, revealing an opening with stairs that led down into a darkened corridor.

**_“This is easier than I expected,”_** Kaiba observed as he looked at the opening in the dessert. 

_‘I would not get comfortable just yet… something feels off, there is a disturbance in the air,’_ Priest Seto warned as he took a step forward into the descending stairs.

As he did so, Kaiba felt something like an electric shock travel up his body, and what looked like a glowing magical circle appeared and expanded beneath them, causing their body to freeze and for the two of them to fall to their knees as a shock of pain travelled through their bodies.

“Argh… what the hell is this?” Gilgamesh cried out, his jaw clenching as he tried to fight back the pain.

“Hold on… I’m… trying to get rid of it…” Seto groaned out between the sharp jolts of pain as he tried to concentrate on the magic of his Millennium Rod, which began to glow.

Thankfully, only a moment later that felt longer than it was, the magic circle was dissipated, but not before an invisible force sent them several yard back and they landed in their backs, the sand being their only cushion. The two men and spirits groaned as they got back up.

**_“What the hell was that?”_** Kaiba asked angrily, it seemed that not being in control meant he could still feel pain, **_“Was this your fault?”_**

“No, this was not my doing.”

As if to answer their silent question, an unfamiliar laugh to all but one of them began to echo around them.

_“Humans are indeed interesting no matter the age.”_

It wasn’t hard to figure out who the voice was coming from, and even though no one could see him, they could all feel his presence as the voice seemed to surround them.

_“I feel your nostalgic presence… old friend.”_

Gilgamesh frowned at the tone of disgust on Enkidu’s voice.

“I see you are still angry… has five-thousand years of keeping me in a prison not dulled your rage?” Gilgamesh questioned.

_“Oh wise King of Uruk, must you ask such a question? The wise King who urged me to walk among men… and redefine my existence…how foolish you seem to have become,” _Enkidu taunted.

Gilgamesh felt his anger well up inside him at the apparent ridicule, and he clenched his fists as he looked around.

“I grow weary of your childishness Enkidu. Stop your hiding and show yourself.”

Another laugh echoed around them.

_“You do not command me anymore, foolish King. Furthermore, in your state, I doubt you can face me and win. Unless… you plan on having this mortal fight for you? After all, is it not him you chose to leave everything behind for?”_

Gilgamesh scoffed, but felt unease at what Enkidu was claiming. He had made sure to keep Seto out of everything by forcing him to stay in Egypt when he went on to face Enkidu. How did Enkidu know about him?

“If you are so confident, why waste our time with this needless chatter?” Gilgamesh demanded.

**_“Easy now! Are you trying to provoke him? We don’t have your magic book yet!” _**Kise warned.

_‘Fear not… I know Enkidu. He is not here to take me back just yet. If that is what he was after, he would have done so already.’_

Enkidu’s chuckle resounded around them, not as boisterous as his laugh, but just as mocking.

_“You are correct. I am afraid I have grown bored of simply observing mankind, and keeping watch over you has not exactly been rewarding after you stopped responding to me.”_

Gilgamesh frowned.

“Well, that seems to be your own doing. It seems the way to remedy it is to let me go, and you would no longer have to be my keeper.”

This time it was Enkidu who scoffed.

_“That would be far too lenient for what you deserve. You could remain imprisoned for a thousand millennia more, and still you would not have atoned for your sins.”_

The resentment tinging Enkidu’s voice was unmistakable, and it made the air around them feel heavier.

** _“Wow, this guy really hates you… but I don’t understand how keeping watch over you for all this time isn’t a punishment for him too…”_ **

Gilgamesh didn’t acknowledge Kise this time, but Kise felt something heavy settle over him, and he knew it came from Gilgamesh.

“Very well… I will gladly serve your sentence if that is what you wish.”

This time, Kaiba turned to him in surprise, and they both knew it had to be Priest Seto that was looking at Gilgamesh then and there.

“_What_? Gil what are you saying?” Priest Seto protested with a look of disbelief on his face, but Gilgamesh did not acknowledge his objections.

_“Oh?”_ Enkidu replied, his interest obviously piqued.

“Do not make me repeat myself Enkidu. And do not mistake my words. I will abide by them only if you defeat me again. At my _full_ power.”

There was a moment of silence, and Priest Seto was still looking at Gilgamesh with displeasure and apprehension, silently urging him to stop what he was saying.

For once, Kaiba felt much the same way, considering that fighting against an ancient spirit that seemed to have no interest or knowledge of duel monsters meant that Kise’s body was at risk. What was Gilgamesh thinking? He had promised to keep Kise safe.

_“Very well. I accept your terms. However, do not think I will make this easy for you. I am aware you are here to retrieve your precious Dup Shimati. The Tablet of Destiny.”_

Gilgamesh tensed at Enkidu’s correct assessment, and before their very eyes, the sand around them began to move. Lumps rose up from the sand, and formed what could only be described as gray deformed creatures with a bulky torso, thick arms and legs, and barely discernable eyes and a mouth.

Now both Gilgamesh and Seto were on high alert, their bodies coiling as they readied to move as the creatures began to slowly advance on them while others remained in front of the entrance.

“What the hell are these creatures?” Seto asked as he readied the Millennium Rod.

“Enkidu was created from dirt and clay... and so he can create creatures from himself as well,” Gilgamesh explained as his eyes darted around the creatures. There were ten in all, and with only two of them, their odds did not look good at all.

**_“That’s just great... do you have any brilliant ideas priest or should I take over?” _**Kaiba practically growled out as he took in the sight of the creatures blocking their way to the entrance. They weren’t quick, that was for sure, and their deformed shapes told him they would not be agile either, but they would not be easy to break through either.

“I am afraid my magic will not be of much use against these creatures. They possess no mind of their own, they are controlled by Enkidu, so I cannot gain control of them,” Priest Seto said reluctantly.

** _“Figures. Step aside priest, let me summon my creatures and use your magic to make them real enough to destroy these ugly things.”_ **

Priest Seto knew what Kaiba was talking about, and easily relinquished his hold so that Kaiba was in control once more.

As Kaiba regained control of his body, he immediately activated the Duel Disk on his person, the machine easily aligning onto his arm and the lights lighting up a bright blue. He knew that with his cards and the power of the rod, he could easily materialize his creatures as they had been summoned in the ancient shadow games.

“Don’t make me laugh Enkidu, I’ll show you not to underestimate me. I’ve been itching to take you down a notch since I saw you at the museum.”

Kise could see that Kaiba was in control again, could tell from the way he held himself and spoke. He wondered how it was possible that even while he wasn’t in control of his body, he could feel himself look at Kaiba’s confident demeanor and unshaken resolve and words with awe and admiration. How could he be so at ease when faced with these ancient spirits and creatures?

“Behold, my Blue-Eyes White Dragon!”

With a sweep of his arm, Kaiba’s holographic technology and panels appeared before him and lit up brighter, while at the same time the Millennium Rod in his other hand began to glow, and the ancient and large platinum blue dragon appeared before them with a mighty roar.

It looked just as real as it always did when summoned through Kaiba’s technology, but Kise knew that this couldn’t be a hologram if Kaiba really thought it stood a chance at facing against the very real clay creatures in front of them.

“Attack those filthy creatures, my dragon!”

With another roar, the mighty dragon did as instructed by its master, and charged up the bright blue energy blast in its mouth for a moment before unleashing the powerful blow onto the creatures. Kise felt the heat of the attack as it made its way towards the creatures, and watched as the energy blast made the sand rise and stir as it hit the creatures, and the ones hit by the blast broke apart before their very eyes.

The blast took out all but three creatures, who turned their attention to the dragon and fired sharp clay projectiles from their bodies at them.

Thankfully, the dragon placed itself between them and the creatures, protecting them from any harm as it whined in pain at the contact.

Kise felt his heart constrict at seeing the dragon in obvious pain, and despite how surreal everything had seemed until that point, the sight of it felt incredibly real now as it moved and settled before them protectively.

“Get rid of the rest Blue-Eyes!”

Attentive again to its master’s command, the dragon diligently charged up and fired again, this time more aggressively than before, no doubt out of spite for the attack of the creatures.

As the sand settled, and the broken bits of what remained of the clay creatures were revealed no longer blocking the entrance, both men grinned in victory.

The victory was short lived though, when the broken pieces of clay began to move once more, and again the creatures reformed just as before.

Enkidu’s laugh resounded once more, just as taunting as before.

_“I am afraid it will not be so simple to get rid of my Golems.”_

True to Enkidu’s words, the creatures once more advanced, and again sent out their sharp stake-like projectiles towards them, and this time, it seemed the onslaught was too much for the Blue-Eyes to handle as it struggled to take the blows. Its scales seemed tough enough to resist being penetrated by them, but there was no telling how long it could hold out.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes, attentive to his dragon’s struggle.

“Go, Ox-Raider, Kaiser Sea Horse, Crystal Dragon!”

Summoning more monsters, Kaiba quickly commanded them to attack and distract the golems to draw away their attacks from the dragon protecting them.

_‘We need to get to that entrance… we cannot simply stand around.’_

** _“Gilgamesh… let me take over. I can get us through.”_ **

Gilgamesh’s eyes widened at Kise’s request.

_‘Are you insane? How can you possibly get through those creatures? You’re just a mortal as you are.’_

**_“I’m a basketball player… getting around_** **_obstacles is what we do to win.”_**

_‘Are you really comparing getting through immortal clay creatures to a mortal human game?’_

Kise actually had the audacity to laugh.

** _“Don’t offend me. I’m a prodigy. And this is _ ** **my_ body. I know how to best use it. C’mon! Trust me! Kaibacchi can only hold back those things for so long! We need to get the book and get your magic back while he’s dealing with the creatures.”_**

Gilgamesh had to give it to the kid, he had guts. But when he had sifted through his memories, he was able to see that indeed the boy was skilled. He was quick and agile, something that Gilgamesh himself had never truly had a need to be in his lifetime. He was right to say that he would have a better chance of getting through than himself.

_‘Very well Kise Ryota. But I will not allow failure. Remember… your very life depends on getting that book.’_

** _“Trust me… I know. I won’t fail.”_ **

With that said, Gilgamesh closed his eyes and relinquished his control, and when they opened, his eyes had changed back to gold.

Kise breathed deeply as he focused on the sight before him and made sure he truly was in control of his body as he flexed his fingers. The monsters Kaiba had summoned were doing well in distracting the creatures, and already Kise could see the best path for him to take.

“Kaibacchi…I’m going to need you to watch my back.”

Kaiba turned to Kise with surprise on his face.

“Kise? What the hell are you talking about?”

All Kaiba needed to see that it was really Kise was his familiar golden eyes, and he knew he didn’t like the focused and determined look in them as he looked in the direction of the creatures.

Kise grinned as he began to stretch his legs as he did when he was about to warm up for practice or a game, only to begin jumping in place.

“Well Kaibacchi, the only way I see us getting out of this is for Gilgamesh and I to get the book while you distract these creatures. So that’s what we’ll do.”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes.

“Are you insane? That’s idiotic.”

Kise only grinned.

“I’m not worried… I’ll have you looking out for me.”

Kaiba only scowled deeper, but before he could protest, Kise was already running towards the creatures, and Kaiba felt a moment of panic as he watched the blonde run straight towards the entrance and the creatures that stood before it.

“Damn that kid!”

Once more Kaiba turned to the holographic array of his duel disk and placed another card.

“Dark Blade! Protect him!”

As the armored warrior appeared, he nodded once before taking off after the blonde on the move.

** _“Those two are insane.”_ **

Kaiba didn’t acknowledge the priest’s comment, his eyes trained on Kise’s body as he approached the creatures.

Thankfully most of them had their attention turned towards the monsters he had sent our earlier, but those that did turn their attention to Kise immediately moved in his direction. Kaiba tensed as he watched the creatures advance on the smaller and lithe boy, but was surprised when Kise effortlessly maneuvered around them, his body quickly spinning out of one monster’s reach without losing speed as he kept going around another, again quickly sidestepping it, before he rolled out of the way of a strike meant for him by another creatures thick arm, only to swiftly stand back up and keep going.

His movements reminded Kaiba of Kise’s talent, the way he moved were the movements he had seen on the basketball court as he easily evaded the clay creatures and quickly closed the distance to the entrance. As he made his way past two more creatures, Dark Blade placed himself between Kise and the creatures just as he reached the entrance, and Kaiba just barely made out Kise’s figure holding up a thumbs up before he disappeared down the stairs of the entrance.

At least now they just had to make sure these creatures couldn’t follow them.

But Kaiba would remember to yell at Kise for his recklessness.

* * *

With adrenaline pumping through his body, Kise ran down the stairs only to pause at the pitch darkness of the corridor ahead of him where the light from outside didn’t reach. Not that Kise was afraid of the dark, but navigating through pitch black ancient tombs did not sound like an easy thing either.

Still… he couldn’t waste time. He’d just have to feel his way through.

As he stepped forward however, he was surprised when torches along the wall lit up, illuminating the dark corridors. With surprise but also relief, Kise once more began to run forward down the corridor, following the straight path. There were hieroglyphs along the walls, but Kise didn’t even try to take them in as he reached the end of the corridor.

The corridor then split left and right, and Kise grimaced. What now?

** _“Alright Ryota, you did your job. I will handle it from here.”_ **

Kise frowned but nodded, and Gilgamesh once more took over. He looked over the writing on the wall that Kise couldn’t read, before going right. At another intersection, Gilgamesh stopped once more, reading the wall before looking down at the ground and kneeling down and feeling the floor, and to Kise’s curiosity, pressed down on two different spots on the ground, and Kise watched in surprise as the bricks lowered, and the wall before them opened up.

He could only imagine that Gilgamesh was able to read the ancient writing, and it was what told him what he needed to do to find the tomb.

As the wall opened up, it revealed a large room that looked all but empty, but Kise knew that couldn’t be the case if getting into it had taken a hidden method to find. He could also feel Gilgamesh’s apprehension, and decided to remain silent as Gilgamesh concentrated. He could see that Gilgamesh was cautious as he looked at the ground carefully, as if there was another hidden message or passageway that he had to look out for.

Kise was surprised when Gilgamesh came to a stop and took in a heavy breath.

_‘You might want to say your prayers Ryota… it seems my beloved truly had no intention of making his tomb easy to find. And if I do not remember this exactly right, we are in trouble.’_

Kise felt dread in the pit of his stomach, and he couldn’t help but feel worried now if even Gilgamesh lacked his usual confident demeanor.

Still, Kise chose to remain silent, letting Gilgamesh focus as he once more looked around the room, before he seemed to find what he was looking for, and cautiously moved about the room until he seemed to find a particular spot.

Again, Kise could only watch as Gilgamesh took a deep breath and concentrate, and to Kise’s surprise, began to move in a way that resembled a dance.

He took careful and calculated steps, with spins and twirls that took them across the room, and Kise could have sworn he heard music playing in his mind as Gilgamesh moved to the rhythm of it.

Finally, they reached the end, and as Gilgamesh’s foot took what seemed to be the final step, the room behind them began to shake, and parts of the floor began to crumble as they fell and revealed spiked pits beneath them.

But they were safe, and again the wall before them opened once more, and this time revealed stairs that led down to another level.

** _“What the hell was that?” _ **

Kise asked but was relieved to see that whatever it had been, Gilgamesh had done exactly what he needed to do to make sure they made it safe across the boobytrapped room.

“Seto and I had a game back in Egypt… he would choose the starting point and I would dance across the room with a specific set of steps. He had to guess where I would end up.”

Kise was surprised by Gilgamesh’s answer, and had to admit it was touching that Gilgamesh would be the only one capable of crossing this room if that’s what it took to escape. Still… the fact that even after five thousand years Gilgamesh remembered… it really spoke of the bond they shared.

Not wasting any more time, Gilgamesh quickly descended down the stairs, and this time, it was obvious they were in the right place as they came into a room full of treasures and whose walls were adorned with more complex hieroglyphs that seemed to be coated with gold. There were also stone columns, chests, statues that stood vigilant around the tomb, and even the ceiling was covered in the ancient pictures.

There could be no doubt that the elegance and care of this tomb was for someone important, and at the other end of the room, what looked to be guarded by statues of the very dragon Kaiba had claimed as his own, was a golden sarcophagus.

Kise felt something uncomfortable stir in the pit of his stomach, and again he knew it had to be Gilgamesh that felt that way as he made his way to the ancient resting place.

“The Egyptians believed that after death, they took a journey that would lead them to the Gods where their heart was weighed against the feather of truth that would judge if their soul was worthy to pass onto the afterlife. For that reason, it was seen as important to be buried with everything one would need for the journey. They believed that the afterlife was a mirror of their life while alive… which was why they tried to live as well and happy as they could. They believed every moment was precious, and valued family, friends, and even pets. They held festivals often, and even those who were considered poor had humble and happy lives with little to ask for. They believed Egypt to be the most perfect and blessed place in the world.”

Kise couldn’t tell whether Gilgamesh was truly trying to educate him on the subject, or if he was simply saying it aloud to remind himself of his ancient past as he approached the sarcophagus.

The ancient sarcophagus did not look like what Kise expected. It was not shaped like a pharaoh holding some kind of scepters in its hands, but was a simple rectangular coffin covered in more hieroglyphs.

Kise could feel his heart racing in his chest, and Gilgamesh’s hesitation to opening the chest. But finally, Gilgamesh seemed to find the resolve to open the casket, and as his hands reached to pry the lid from the resting place, he felt his heart clench as it finally opened after a brief struggle.

As the dust cleared from millennia of being shut, Kise felt an immense wave of sadness and despair overwhelm him as the five-thousand-year-old body was revealed to them, and Kise was taken aback by the unexpected emotion.

Gilgamesh fell to his knees as the mummified body of Priest Seto was presented to them, and resting within his wrapped arms in what looked like an embrace against his chest, was what could only be the very book that they had come looking for.

Kise could feel tears trailing down his face, and Gilgamesh’s grief continued to flow through him.

“I should have been with him… I should have been there at the end of his life…”

Kise felt the immense feeling of regret and despair as if it was his own, and for the first time, Kise truly realized what Gilgamesh had been robbed of by Enkidu. He had been robbed the life with the man he loved, and neither had been with the other when the end of their life came before them.

Kise didn’t know if there was anything he could say to the grieving spirit… but he knew they didn’t have the luxury of time on their side.

** _“Gilgamesh… I know that this can’t be easy for you to see… but remember… Seto is still here… he’s outside inside Kaibacchi. He came here to help free you… to take you back. This isn’t the end… and they need us. Those creatures will keep coming back, and there’s no telling what Enkidu will do next. We have to get back to them.”_ **

It seemed Kise said the right thing, because he could feel Gilgamesh’s resolve return once more, followed by a burst of anger and determination.

_‘You are right Ryota… forgive my lack of composure. This is no time to think of things past… Enkidu will pay… that much is certain.’_

Standing once more, Gilgamesh gave Seto’s embalmed body one last glance before tentatively reaching for the book in his grasp. The fact that Seto had chosen to be buried with the book that was one of his last anchors to him spoke volumes, and it warmed his heart as he looked at the ancient body.

With one last silent promise and thanks to the last physical remainder in this world of the man he loved, Gilgamesh took hold of the book, and Kise had to admit that it wasn’t what he expected. It was less a book and more a stone tablet shaped like a book. It had no pages, but as Gilgamesh opened it up for the first time in five thousand years, golden characters began to appear from it as the book glowed a golden hue and encompassed his body.

Kise felt as if something powerful was coursing through him, the kind of rush he felt when he was performing at his best during a basketball game, only much, _much_ stronger than that. It made him feel practically invincible, as if he could take on the world.

It was only once the feeling dulled that Kise realized his clothing had changed, and he was now wearing the same outfit that he had seen Gilgamesh wearing in his vision.

“Now then… let us face Enkidu for the final time.”


	35. Fatal Battle 1/2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final battle between Gilgamesh and Enkidu... and the strength of their resolve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow this chapter was a process.
> 
> So, in the Epic of Gilgamesh, Enkidu is definitely alluded to being a male, but in FGO, they don't specify Enkidu's gender and is pretty much considered genderless. They are made out of clay so I guess that makes sense right? So in the end, I decided to go with Agender Enkidu. So I will use they/them pronouns for Enkidu in this chapter and will go back to the previous chapters and change that too, but maybe not right away because time and tired since I spent an entire day writing this chapter while I was feeling inspired and motivated.
> 
> Also some background to maybe understand this chapter a little bit better... In the epic, Enkidu's death is pretty gruesome. They are cursed by the gods for helping Gilgamesh kill the Bull of Heaven that Ishtar sends down to Earth after Gilgamesh rejects her proposal for marriage, and other powerful beasts of theirs and dies after 12 days of suffering. Enkidu becomes pretty delirious, at points they are cursing everyone and everything, at other points is thankful to them for helping them gain a human heart, and near the end its like they're sad to be separated from Gilgamesh, and bitter about it all, and definitely scared of this dream they have about death and probably hell that awaits them. So yeah, of course they're pretty angry at the circumstances of their death.
> 
> The reason it was easy to connect Gilgamesh to Kise aside from their looks was actually really simple and easy, they really do have a lot of similarities, and to justify Gilgamesh's tyranny is not all that hard. Just like Kise, Gilgamesh is capricious and selfish. He knows he's the best at what he does, so his arrogance is warranted(but not right in how he projects it). Being bored with being the best, and having the title of King meant that to balance his boredom with life, Gilgamesh pretty much pushed the limits of his power and what people let him get away with in hopes of finding amusement. When Enkidu comes along, they give Gilgamesh a different outlet that directs his tyranny and agression into something else, and the two go on quests to kill powerful beasts and challenge the Gods instead, so Gil is less a tyrant and more aware of his duties as a King seeing as his people were basically backing Enkidu when they set out to challenge him, and it was probably a wake up call to Gilgamesh that he was being a sucky king and he should change that. 
> 
> Obviously since Kise was born under much different circumstances, the modern world and most definitely not a king, he can't be a tyrant like Gilgamesh was, so as his reincarnation he would definitely be different than Gilgamesh(just like Yugi is way different from Atem even though they are the same soul). The circumstances of your birth and surroundings have an incredible effect on who you are, which I why I really enjoy the concept of reincarnation and being able to interact with a different self than you, and why I'm really liking using this concept of Yugioh with Gilgamesh and Kise.
> 
> So in the Babylonia arc of the game and anime, Gilgamesh goes on a quest to find the plant of immortality after the death of Enkidu and when he comes back, he is a much more focused and wise king. He is still arrogant and moody, that doesn't change, but his goal is to protect Uruk and lead his people against the enemy, and he is very good at it.  
He is a different manifestation than the tyrant he is in his Archer form, which is why I see them as different characters from different times and like the Caster version a lot more.
> 
> So this story takes place in between that point, in an alternate universe kind of way that still makes sense if you understand how the singularities work. My take in this story is that after Gilgamesh goes to Egypt and meets Seto, and sees how he leads his people through charisma and intelligence and how he has made Egypt prosper in the short time he has been Pharaoh, he is actually inspired by him and grows to respect him as an equal but in a different way than he did Enkidu. Because Seto is obviously not powerful in the same way that Gilgamesh is powerful through sheer strength, actually, Seto absolutely hates violence and war and all that stuff that warriors and Kings embrace. Seto is all about improving technology, infrastructure, alliances, and dealing with things through more political and intellectual means, which is the polar opposite of how Gilgamesh does things, but its what draws him to Seto in the first place. But Seto will still fight where he needs to fight, make no mistake, and he will be very good at using his armies and smarts to win.
> 
> This might all be too much info that don't make sense, but ya know. It's Fate.

* * *

The next thing Kise realized, was that his body dematerialized into gold particles. It gave him a brief feeling of vertigo, and everything went black for only a second before they reappeared outside the entrance of the tomb where the sight of Kaiba’s monsters were still facing off against Enkidu’s golems.

A kind of teleportation? Gilgamesh’s magic really was impressive.

At their reappearance, Kaiba and several golems turned their attention to them.

It was then that Kise noticed the book they had gone to retrieve was not in their hands, but as Gilgamesh raised his hand and spread his palm out, the stone book materialized in his hand in the same way that they had teleported and effortlessly settled on his hand in a swirl of golden particles that took shape. There was surprisingly little weight to the book, considering the power that it held and the fact that it was made out of stone.

Gilgamesh looked at the golems with disdain as his eyes narrowed at the sight of them, and once more golden cuneiforms began to appear over the book and spin from left to right in a half arc formation.

“These creatures truly are unsightly. Begone, mongrels.”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes as he looked at the figure of Gilgamesh dressed in an ancient attire, and the book in his hand with cuneiforms floating over it. It was the outfit that Kise had described from his vision, and as Gilgamesh spoke, several golden circular portals began to appear behind him, illuminating him in the ethereal golden glow, and what looked like the end of scepters protruded from them, and from each of them, shot out golden beams directed at the golems, hitting them directly with a powerful blast that caused his duel monsters to retreat away from the golems as more blasts hit them directly until they were all reduced to rubble, and this time, they didn’t get up.

Gilgamesh was left smirking triumphantly, a look of superiority on his face as he turned up his nose at the ruble of the creatures.

“Enkidu, your pets are no more. Are you ready to face me now?”

**_“Wait, how come they don’t come back when you destroy them?”_** Kise asked with astonishment as he looked at what little remained of the creatures.

_‘Because it is my will. It is as simple as that.’_

If he could, Kise would be frowning. Could someone really be that powerful?

Before he could ask any more questions however, Enkidu’s sinister laughter once more permeated the air.

_“Do you truly think that is really enough? Why not look to the west?” _

Gilgamesh did as Enkidu suggested, and frowned when he saw what lay in that direction.

** _“Oh shit.”_ **

Kise could see that coming from the distance, were more golems… only it wasn’t just ten. It looked like hundreds of them. It looked like an endless sea of those clay creatures, and they were coming their way.

By then Kaiba had made their way towards them and was standing beside them, looking in the same direction as they were towards the advancing army of golems.

“So, can you handle that many?” Kaiba asked, looking just as unconcerned as Gilgamesh, who scoffed.

“You dare doubt me?”

Kaiba didn’t answer, merely crossed his arms as he stood straight and continued to look at Enkidu’s monsters.

“Watch closely, for this is the might of a true king.”

Once more, Gilgamesh’s book began to glow.

“Hear my voice! All embrasures, open!”

At his spoken command, the golden cuneiforms appeared and began to spin around him, while at the same time, the ground began to shake, and Kaiba turned around as he felt the sand behind him begin to shift and a gust of wind pick up, only for his eyes to widen as he watched a large fortress begin to rise from the sands.

At its full height, the massive fortress towered over them at least twenty stories high. Gilgamesh never once turned around as he smirked in the direction of the army of golems who were even closer now, the cuneiforms still spinning around him, and this time the book floated by itself in front of him as he drew back the hand holding it.

“Ready your arrows, I permit it! With the best treasures, witness the defense of Uruk! The deluge of the land is my resolution! _Melammu Dingir_!”

As Gilgamesh extended his arm forward, at his command, the fortress behind them let loose a barrage of golden blasts that made their way towards the clay creatures, they looked like blasts of golden energy shaped liked spears, and as they descended down onto the advancing golems, they rained down on them with overwhelming force, easily inundating them and piercing through them until all that could be made out as the barrage continued was a cloud of sand that rose high into the air.

Kaiba and Gilgamesh looked on patiently as the sand began to settle, but there could be no doubt that there would be nothing left of the golems at the display of force from Gilgamesh.

**_“Melammu… Dingir.”_** Kise said in his mind, testing the name in his mind as he looked at the devastation it left behind… devastation that was their salvation. Saying the name gave him a sense of nostalgia… and Kise knew it must be what Gilgamesh was feeling.

_‘Radiant God. It is my noble phantasm. It is the force of my will and the strength of my people during my reign.’_

There was a tinge of sadness and guilt to Gilgamesh’s explanation. Kise knew from his words that Gilgamesh must have taken his role as King seriously at some point… he had felt responsible for his city and the people that lived within… and guilt for leaving them behind to pursue his own happiness. But hadn’t he also been a tyrannical and selfish King? That’s what his legend had spoken of after all.

He wished he could ask Gilgamesh about his past…to separate truth from fiction… and understand why he had made the decisions that he did. But now was not the time. Now was the time to reclaim his fate… and free him from the clutches of Enkidu.

The sand finally settled, and indeed, no golem remained in the aftermath.

The fortress behind them also disappeared as it dissipated into golden particles, so that once more all that surrounded them were the sands of Egypt.

_“You have some nerve…traitorous King. To use an attack that comes from the very people you abandoned.”_

Kise could feel Gilgamesh’s anger at Enkidu’s words.

“So speaks the one who rather hide behind these unsightly creatures. I remember you to be bolder than that… Enkidu. Now come, do not keep me waiting any longer. I will ensure you pay dearly for your insolence.”

Enkidu’s laughter once more echoed around them, only to grow more focused as their body materialized only a few feet away from them, and they took in the sight of the green haired being wearing a white oversized shirt that covered most of their body with white pants underneath, and Enkidu stood comfortably barefoot on the sand.

Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes as he saw Enkidu for the first time in what felt like millennia. They looked the same as they always had… as lively as they had been before the Gods took them from him… but the look in their eyes was different. Enkidu’s warmth was gone… replaced with cold and sinister eyes. Eyes that held the deepest of contempt for him… a look that Gilgamesh had only been looked upon by the Gods and those that dared to defy him.

“I am the chains that fasten Heaven and Earth… a weapon forged by the Gods to slay the tyrannical King Gilgamesh. I failed in my purpose once… but I will not do so again. I will take you back to your prison traitorous King, where you will continue to serve your sentence for the remainder of time.”

Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes, his gaze hardening at Enkidu’s words.

“A feat I guarantee you will not achieve. I do not know what you did to get the better of me five-thousand years ago… but I can assure you I will not allow it to happen again.”

Gilgamesh looked away from Enkidu to glance at Kaiba.

“I suggest you distance yourself Kaiba, if you value your life.”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes, and was about to decline when the priest inside of him spoke.

** _“It is best we do as he says… believe me… there is nothing we can do once those two unleash their full power. We will only be in the way.”_ **

Kaiba glared at Gilgamesh, but held his tongue.

“Fine… but remember your word Gilgamesh. Keep Kise safe, or Enkidu won’t be the only one you have to worry about.”

Kise felt a burst of warmth in his chest at Kaiba’s words, and Gilgamesh scoffed.

“Your lack of faith in me is insulting Kaiba. Ryota could not be in better hands.”

Kaiba didn’t reply, he only turned around sharply and began to walk away, giving the two figures room for the battle to come, but still uneasy about the events that were about to unfold.

Once Kaiba was a safe distance away, Gilgamesh focused on the figure of Enkidu before him.

“Now then… come at me… Enkidu!”

Enkidu smirked and their eyes widened with excitement as blue energy began to crackle around their body, only for their hand to stretch out towards Gilgamesh, and a gold blast to erupt from their hand and shoot towards the ancient King.

Gilgamesh’s eyes narrowed as several golden portals opened up behind him, one of the scepters protruding out from it shot out its own blast to counter and cancel the blast that Enkidu sent his way, while at the same time several other scepters shot out their own blast in Enkidu’s direction.

Enkidu easily evaded the attacks, their body twisting and flipping out of their path as they also sent several more blasts towards Gilgamesh, who once more cancelled them out with the blasts from the scepters in the golden portals.

Their attacks continued for several moments, each one simply evading and canceling each other’s move as they remained on equal ground. Gilgamesh never once moved, his arms remained crossed in front of him as his eyes never moved from Enkidu’s form, but his will controlled each blast from each portal that appeared to counter and attack Enkidu, who in turn dodged with grace and efficiency, each movement calculated and expertly executed.

Kise watched silently, not wanting to break Gilgamesh’s focus, but aware of the emotions that Gilgamesh was fighting to keep at bay as he faced his ancient friend. He could feel it simmering beneath his pride and anger, a faint feeling of fondness as he looked upon Enkidu, and the lingering bitterness of loss and betrayal. Kise knew that despite what Enkidu had done to Gilgamesh… a part of the ancient King still cared about them.

He could also tell that both were holding back. Even though Kise had never seen them fight before, and he wasn’t sure what their full strength was, from his own experience in going up against opponents, he could see that both were still only feeling each other out, or prolonging their fight.

As Enkidu placed their hands on the ground, blue energy once more crackled around them, and the ground seemed to split and crack open as golden energy coursed through it and made its way towards Gilgamesh.

This time, Gilgamesh had no choice but to move as the energy made its way towards him through the ground, and Kise was surprised to see that Gilgamesh easily maneuvered his body around the attack and landed safely several feet away from where he had been.

**_“Wait… you move pretty well on your own… you could have gotten through those creatures just fine…”_** Kise observed, not able to keep quiet as Gilgamesh physically dodged more blasts that Enkidu sent his way and once more countering with his own.

_‘Hm… you believe so?’_

Kise scoffed.

** _“I know so… why did you let me take over? Don’t tell me you actually had faith in me...”_ **

Gilgamesh chuckled, not losing a beat as he continued to counter and attack Enkidu.

_‘I was simply curious to see if you could do it. How could I not let you try after your show of bravery? You should feel flattered Ryota, I rarely show such leniency to others. But do not mistake my kindness… you are still leagues beneath me in skill. Now, be silent. I have a battle to fight.’_

Kise chose to do as Gilgamesh comanded, and continued to observe Enkidu’s movements as they continued to move and dodge Gilgamesh’s attacks, as more magical blasts of energy were thrown their way, this time, portals appeared above Enkidu, and the scepters that protruded from them shot blasts of what looked like lightening at Enkidu’s figure.

Kise watched in surprise as Enkidu created a wall of clay around themselves that rose from the ground, successfully protecting themselves from the attacks from above as the clay absorbed the force of the energy.

It was because Kise was observing Enkidu so closely that he was able to see the smile on their face… it was a smile of glee… of someone enjoying themselves, and Kise knew, without a doubt, that the reason these two were holding back was because they were truly having fun. The legend of Gilgamesh spoke of a gifted ruler who had no equal until Enkidu came along, someone who challenged him and who learned from him in turn. It was the same way that Kise always enjoyed himself when he faced the Generation of Miracles, the only players that could truly challenge him and keep him on his toes, that made each match exciting because Kise knew he would have to do his best if he hoped to win.

And how could these two not have fun? After five-thousand years of being a prisoner and warden? It made Kise sad… to think that their friendship came to and end for some unknown reason… for something that could have been all a misunderstanding… for something that could have been worked out if they hadn’t chosen to fight instead.

But that was not what fate had in store for them, and something must have occurred to Gilgamesh, something that snapped him out of the brief moment of enjoyment he had felt when facing Enkidu, and anger once more filled him as Gilgamesh’s attacks became suddenly more aggressive. The change in pace wasn’t lost to Enkidu, who frowned at the onslaught.

Gilgamesh unleashed his fury onto Enkidu, much more portals than before opening up behind him and around Enkidu, sending forth their blasts in a flurry that made it hard for Enkidu to dodge them all, and finally some made their mark as they hit Enkidu and sent them sprawling, only for the green-haired being to quickly gather their bearings and resume evading as best they could.

Gilgamesh had let his arms fall to his sides, his hands clenched tightly into fists as he looked at Enkidu with pure rage, and now, a battle-axe materialized onto his left hand, and seeing the weapon in his hand, it seemed Enkidu took it as a challenge, and with a smirk, began to close the distance between them as they leapt in their direction.

Enkidu’s speed was astounding, it seemed as if in only one leap they had closed the majority of the distance between them while they had been using their medium-range attacks on each other, and this time, as they extended out their arm in Gilgamesh’s direction, it wasn’t a golden blast that came out, but rather multiple chains with a spear tip at the end that closed on Gilgamesh with lightning speed.

Gilgamesh’s scepters managed to divert a majority of the chain attacks, and Gilgamesh used his axe to deflect some himself, and as Enkidu continued to close the distance between them, their fight now became physical as Enkidu delivered a barrage of strikes with their bare hands onto Gilgamesh, whose eyes narrowed as he deflected the blows with his axe and maneuvered around Enkidu, flipping out of his range and sending more golden blasts his way.

It seemed Gilgamesh wasn’t a fan of close range combat, and to keep Enkidu at bay, raised his hand in his direction, so that the golden cuneiforms wrapped around Enkidu, holding them in place while several portals opened beneath them, this time spinning around in a clockwise direction as fire erupted from underneath them, engulfing them in flames.

Kise watched in astonishment as the inferno consumed them… there was no way they could survive that… right?

But there was no feeling of victory or relief from Gilgamesh, and so Kise knew that it couldn’t be over just yet.

He was proven right when the fire died down, and he could see that once more Enkidu had protected themselves with a clay wall that crumbled from the scorch of the flames, but Enkidu remained mostly unscathed, only some soot covering their clothes and pristine skin.

“Enkidu…my friend,” Gilgamesh spoke, “You were the axe at my side, my hand’s strength, the sword in my belt. The shield before me. A glorious robe… my fairest ornament.”

Enkidu’s face became stony at Gilgamesh’s words.

“So many paths we walked together, so many beasts we hunted. When you died on that day… all of Uruk wept for you, I made sure of it. For seven days and seven nights, _I_ wept. For you, I grew out my hair and wandered the desert in the pelt of my favorite lion.”

Kise felt his heart constrict with a deep sadness, and so many emotions that coursed through Gilgamesh as he spoke to Enkidu. His anger was still there… but it seemed the presence of Enkidu was volatile on the ancient king’s emotional state.

Enkidu however, didn’t seem as touched, their face devoid of any emotion but contempt.

“For twelve days you watched me die. You watched me suffer as the God’s curse slowly ate away at me. I cursed every person and beast that led to my existence. When I told you my dream of death, and all that awaited me, you did nothing. It was _I_ that had to die for _your_ choices, while you… you were allowed to live.”

Enkidu’s eyes narrowed once more, and Kise had never seen such hatred in a single person.

“And what did you do with that life gained on account of mine? You left your kingdom to go to a foreign land… you left your people forsaken… traded them all away… for a single man.”

Enkidu’s gaze flashed in the direction where Kaiba had gone, and Gilgamesh tensed, ready to intervene at any movement Enkidu might make in their direction.

“You are not wrong. I did forsake my people… I will not deny it. The title of King was bestowed onto me by right, and with that title and power I came to abuse it. I sent many husbands, fathers, and sons to their death, and stole every bride’s purity before they could wed their husbands, simply because I could. No one could oppose me… and so I did as I wished without thought to anyone but myself. The wisdom that the God’s had gifted me with lay buried beneath the greed and capriciousness of my humanity.”

Gilgamesh paused, and Enkidu continued to look on in stony silence, allowing Gilgamesh to continue.

“You were the first… and only being… that I could ever call a friend and companion. You… who was born of dirt and clay… who first lived as a beast… yet was the one to remind me what humanity truly was. You who helped the forest creatures, harlots, beggars, shepherds, and trappers alike, forced me to see what I lacked as King. You, as my friend and equal, pulled me from a deep pit of monotony that caused those that lived under me to suffer. You are the one who saved them from me…and so… when the God’s took you away form me… I knew that I could not stay there. Not without you to hold me in check. To keep me from being a tyrant once more.”

Kise listened, enraptured in Gilgamesh’s tale, and for the first time, saw a brief change in Enkidu’s expression. Their eyes warmed and widened at Gilgamesh’s admission, and Kise hoped that Gilgamesh’s sincerity had reached them, but his hope was short lived as Enkidu’s eyes once more grew cold and sinister.

“_No_! You lie! You are nothing but a conman! A selfish and traitorous bastard! You abandoned your people, and you abandoned _me_! I will not listen to your lies!”

Blue energy once more crackled around Enkidu, and this time, it was them that attacked Gilgamesh without abandon, a greater number of chains made their way towards Gilgamesh, some getting through his defenses and wrapping around Gilgamesh’s arm that held his axe, making it fall from his hand while two more wrapped around his ankles, and another around his waist and his other wrist.

Kise was surprised to see Gilgamesh caught in the chains so easily, even more so when he felt his body go slack and his eyes close as his head lowered in what seemed like defeat.

Wait… was Gilgamesh giving up?

As the chains raised Gilgamesh several feet above the ground, Enkidu approached them, and glared up at the figure of Gilgamesh.

“You let me pay for your sins… and you left your responsibilities behind… and went on to find happiness with another King, and helped him lead a land that was not yours while your people were left without guidance. It is the ultimate disgrace for a King…”

Enkidu spoke with such disgust that it sent a pang through Kise’s chest.

“My death was shameful enough… to die in a bed from a decaying body instead of a battlefield… only to learn that my death was wasted on such a man? I cannot bear the thought. I will not stand for it.”

Gilgamesh said nothing, and Kise was becoming increasingly uneasy.

**_“Gilgamesh! What are you doing! Do something!”_** Kise cried out desperately as Enkidu raised one of their hands in preparation for their next attack, knowing that if Gilgamesh didn’t do something they truly were goners.

_‘Enkidu is right… I deserve my fate. By abandoning my station as King and helping another land… I betrayed my people and brought shame to Enkidu’s sacrifice. They have every right to punish me as they see fit…’_

Kise was surprised to see this side of Gilgamesh… the man who did as he pleased with no remorse, who looked at everyone as if they were beneath him, who stood with confidence Kise had seen in so few people… reduced to a shell of what he was at a few words from a single being.

** _“Damn it Gilgamesh! Snap out of it! You’re wrong! Enkidu isn’t right in this situation! So what if you left your kingdom! You were mourning! You said you wanted to find the plant of immortality, but I know that couldn’t have been more than an excuse to get away from it all! You’re human! That’s what we humans do! When we lose someone we love, we find a way to cope, or a way to deal with the pain we’re left with…. You loved Enkidu so much that it wasn’t easy to move on from! So you found a distraction in taking a journey! That’s not a bad thing!”_ **

_‘A king does not have the luxury of abandoning his subjects for petty human emotions.’_

Kise wished he could shake Gilgamesh.

** _“Arg! Well guess what! This isn’t just about _ ** **you_ now! You’re in _my_ body! I let you use my body because I know that Enkidu is doing the wrong thing! There is obviously so much that wasn’t said between you two, and something is obviously wrong with them! I agreed to this because I believed in you, and dammit! I won’t forgive you if you get me killed! I refuse to die here! I have too much left to do and promises to keep… not to mention… I… I want a chance to be with Kaibacchi… he agreed to go on a date with me… I want to be able to find out where things go for us… I finally feel as if I found the answer I’ve been looking for in my life…how to defeat my own rivals…will you let my death be meaningless too?”_**

For the first time, Kise felt something stir in Gilgamesh, but it might have been too late as Enkidu smirked maniacally, and the blue energy crackled around their hand.

“I will take great pleasure in this…”

Kise felt himself panic as he struggled from the recess of his mind. Things couldn’t end here…no!

“Blue-Eyes, use white-lightning attack!”

The familiar roar of a dragon was heard from beside them, and a bright blue light approach from their flank as it made its way in Enkidu’s direction, who frowned and evaded the attack as they leapt out of the way of the attack that hit the ground just where they had been and left a crater from its impact.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing? Didn’t I tell you to keep Kise’s body safe? If this is your idea of being capable, then I am vastly disappointed!” Kaiba’s reprimanding voice was unmistakable as he approached them, a deep frown on his face as he looked up at Gilgamesh who glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.

**_“Kaibacchi…”_** Kise said in wonder, happy to be able to see him despite the circumstances. Even if he were to die here… he wouldn’t mind one last look at the man that had changed his life.

“Listen here Gilgamesh! If you can’t handle this fight, then give Kise back and watch me destroy this piece of clay you seem too care too much about to put up a decent fight against! I’m disappointed to find out you’re all bark and no bite after all.”

Kaiba turned looked away from Gilgamesh as Enkidu’s laughter once more caught his attention.

“Foolish mortal… are you so eager to lose your life for this traitor? I was gracious enough to leave you out of harms way… for the sake of a fair fight… but I never said anything about not harming you either…” Enkidu said as they regarded the dragon in front of them with annoyance more than anything else.

“Sorry to break it to you… but I’ve never been one to stand on the sidelines if I can help it…” Kaiba’s duel disk once more began to glow as he pulled up his holographic panel and with a sweep of his hand, he placed two more cards on it.

“Behold! Two more of my dragons! Come, my Blue-Eyes!”

Before their very eyes, two more dragons materialized, and with a roar, they settled beside the existing dragon as they faced Enkidu, whose smirk only widened.

“You truly think these creatures can do anything against me?” Enkidu taunted.

“I guess we’ll have to see won’t we… now go… make minced meat of them!”

With another series of mighty roars, the three dragons took to the air and flew in Enkidu’s direction, each of them flanking around them and firing their blasts as Enkidu’s blue energy crackled around him.

“Do not make me laugh! Your overgrown lizards stand no chance against me!” Enkidu sent several blasts in the direction of the dragons, who dodged the blasts with difficulty as they continued to fire their own attacks at Enkidu who evaded them.

As one of the dragons closed in on him, Kaiba watched with narrowed eyes as a block of earth rose from the ground at its flank and crashed into his dragon, sending it sprawling to the ground with a yelp of pain. The other two dragons looked over in concern for only a moment, before they fired their own coordinated blasts onto Enkidu, who once more rose a block of earth in front of them to act as a shield, while at the same time, the trunk of a tree grew out of the ground to wrap around and trap the fallen dragon who cried out at the unexpected enclosure. All the while, Enkidu continued to laugh.

** _“Kaiba… let me speak with Gilgamesh. I know he is the only one that can defeat Enkidu.”_ **

Kaiba frowned at the words from the priest inside of him.

_‘Are you insane? Don’t you see the state he’s in? That fool will cost us our lives, words are wasted on him. We have a battle to fight.’_

** _“I will say what I need to say to him… but it will be less painful and more efficient if you simply allow me this.”_ **

Already Kaiba could feel the spirit inside of him begin to try to force himself to the forefront of his mind, and Kaiba clenched his fist. He had no time to fight two fronts.

_‘Fine… but make it quick.’_

With that, Seto took over Kaiba’s body, and turned to Gilgamesh as he drew as close as he could despite the chains around him.

“Gil… it is unlike you to lower your head.”

Gilgamesh tensed at the voice of the only person that had ever addressed him so familiarly and tenderly, as his heart grew heavy with something he couldn’t quite place.

“I remember the day I first saw you… a dancer with a traveling caravan from the East, with a talent for dance and a face so beautiful that it could only be a gift from the Gods. You saved me from a would-be assassin that night, and from that day on you were a thorn on my side. You created havoc with your mischief everywhere in the palace, doing as you pleased with no worry for the repercussions, simply because you were untouchable. Everyone knew they stood no chance against you… even me. I always knew you were far too strong and wise to be a simple dancer… and I wasn’t surprised when the truth came out that you were actually the King of Uruk.”

Gilgamesh remained unmoving as he listened to Kaiba’s words, the battle in the distance a distant noise as he focused on the voice he had missed so terribly.

“When I asked you why you stayed… do you remember what you told me?”

Gilgamesh frowned, and his fingers twitched as he recalled memories that felt not so distant, despite being thousands of years old, but still he said nothing.

“You told me that you went on your journey to find out who you were outside of being a King… that you wanted to walk amongst the common people to see how they lived, and live as they did. You wanted to learn how to be a better King, by humbling yourself so that never again would you be a tyrannical king. You said you chose to stay in Egypt because you admired how I ruled… because I detested war and needless battles, something no other King or warrior could claim in a time that war, conquest, and honor meant everything.”

Gilgamesh felt something begin to stir within him, something like warmth as Seto continued to speak.

“I knew then that you would leave me one day… that you were only learning how to be a better version of yourself… and that one day you would return to your people a wiser King than ever before, but that our lands would prosper and be great allies. You were never a traitor to your people, and Enkidu has no right to refer to you as such. They took you from this world before you could return to your kingdom as you intended… and has no right to hold you hostage for their own spite.”

Finally, Gilgamesh raised his head, and looked at Seto directly, his gaze searching as they looked into each other’s eyes. There was only sincerity in Seto’s eyes, pleading him to believe him.

“Gilgamesh… you _are_ a king. A great king, and more than that… you are the one I love…losing you was the hardest thing I ever had to endure… I do not want to lose you again… not when I have finally found you again.”

Gilgamesh felt his heart race in his chest, the warmth he felt gradually growing as he looked at Seto with longing.

“Seto… the time I spent with you was the happiest I had ever been in my entire life… but for the first time… it felt wrong to be happy. How could I be happy when my actions killed my best friend? And yet I desired it all the same and remained with you. Despite my efforts, I remained the same selfish and capricious man I had always been…because I did not want to give you up. Despite knowing that I had a kingdom to return to… I did not want to leave your side. I wanted to prolong the inevitable, found whatever reason I could to remain… how does that itself not make me a traitor?”

Seto frowned.

“You are speaking Enkidu’s words. Did you not understand me? You are not a traitor because you were going to return. But Enkidu never gave you that chance… you are choosing to believe him because you do not believe in an alternative. But I can tell you that if Enkidu had not returned from the dead and threatened your kingdom, you would have returned of your own volition, when you were ready.”

Gilgamesh did not look convinced, and he looked down on the ground away from Seto’s eyes, causing Seto frown deeper.

“Do you regret meeting me?” he asked, and Gilgamesh looked up abruptly in shock.

“Do you wish you had stayed in Uruk and to never have met me?”

Gilgamesh looked stricken as he looked at Seto, and something unpleasant settled in the pit of his stomach at the thought.

“Well? Because that is exactly what you are telling me right now by giving up… by calling yourself a traitor. You are telling me you regret your decision, and that you should have never left Uruk. That meeting me was a mistake, and that you would take it back if you were given the chance.”

_‘No… never… I would never regret meeting you… finding you was the greatest treasure life could have given me…you taught me what it took to be a just ruler… you taught me a love like no other… I wanted to grow old with you… I wanted to be with you for the rest of my life…leaving you was like losing a part of myself…’_

Kise felt the same despair that he had felt back in Seto’s tomb when Gilgamesh saw Seto’s remains in his sarcophagus, the same sorrow and loss. The words that he could not say aloud held painfully in his heart.

** _“Gilgamesh… Seto is right… you can’t let your fate rest on Enkidu’s judgement alone… they’re blinded by anger and resentment… they aren’t being fair. It’s okay to feel guilty about leaving your kingdom… but you had good intentions. You can’t disregard that. And even if you feel bad about it… there isn’t anything you can do about that now. It happened five thousand years ago… and the people that lived during that time are long gone. You can’t carry that burden on your shoulders forever… but… Seto is here. You still have a chance to be reunited and be together… if not in life… then in the afterlife. Do you really want to give that up?”_ **

Once more Gilgamesh felt something stir in his chest, stronger than before.

As the pained cries of Kaiba’s dragons reached their ears, their attention returned to the battlefield where Enkidu continued to face against the large dragons who were clearly on their last legs as they were grounded and breathing heavily from the wounds inflicted on them by Enkidu.

Gilgamesh frowned at the sight, and Kise could once more feel his anger and resolve return, and relief flooded through him to feel the fight coming back to the ancient king.

“No… I do not regret meeting you, my love. I would do it all over again if I had the chance. You are right… I have forgotten myself. I am a king… and a king does not regret his choices. A king stands above all others, his authority what holds him above the rest, his power absolute.”

Seto grinned as he watched Gilgamesh straighten in his chains and close his eyes. He watched as Gilgamesh began to glow, and the chains around him broke away. When the light dimmed down, Gilgamesh looked different, and wore a body of armor that Seto had never seen before.

His torso was bare, and red markings wrapped around his upper arms and the sides of his chest, with only jewelry adorning him, a golden necklace and matching square earrings. His lower body was covered in golden armor with a red cloth that flared behind him as he landed steadily on the ground beneath him.

“The Enkidu before us is no longer the being I knew. I will regain my freedom, and end this tragedy once and for all.”

Enkidu seemed to have taken notice of the change in Gilgamesh, and frowned in their direction as they disregarded the weakened dragons.

“I see you have taken up your original form...” Enkidu said as they began to walk towards them.

“Oh, this old thing? I am feeling wistful enough to showcase it. It seems only fitting… that it is in this form that I defeat you.”

Enkidu scoffed.

“You still believe you can defeat me? In your current state? Do not forget… most of your soul is still imprisoned, which means you are weaker than if you were whole.”

Gilgamesh frowned, but did not reply, instead, something gold began to glow in his hand, which then took shape into an odd apparatus, but caused Enkidu to pause in their advance as they frowned at what Gilgamesh held in his hand.

“Gate of Babylon… open.”

As Gilgamesh turned the key-like apparatus against the empty air, a red gate like outline formed above them, which caused a blinding light to flash around them, causing them to close their eyes at the intensity, only to open them and reveal Gilgamesh holding a golden sword-like weapon that complemented his armor, a sword unlike any besides Enkidu had seen before. It was not sharp like a sword would be, its blade cylindrical with red markings around it, and as Gilgamesh took hold of it, the blade-like structure began to glow red.

“So… you intend to use the Sword of Rupture against me?” Enkidu asked, but all present could see the cautious look in their eyes as they looked at the weapon.

Gilgamesh smirked as a golden portal appeared above Kaiba, only for a shield to rise out from it, and settle before him.

“You will be safe behind Aegis… after all, there is no stronger shield within my treasury,” Gilgamesh said, before turning his attention back to Enkidu.

“You should feel flattered Enkidu… I only use Ea on those I consider worthy. In life, you were my dearest friend… and it appears that in death… we are meant to be enemies. It seems that there is no happy ending for us. After all, the fate of a King always ends in tragedy… it is what makes us legends and heroes to the people, what carries on our stories even thousands of years after we leave this world.”

As the sword in Gilgamesh’s hand began to rotate in several parts, Enkidu also seemed to prepare as green energy began to crackle around them.

“But unfortunately for you, I do not bend to fate and human tragedy. It is why I chose to forsake the Gods, and why I refuse to accept the punishment you wish to deal to me. I will do as I please, and that does not involve being your prisoner for the rest of eternity.”

Enkidu glared at Gilgamesh, and as the green energy continued to crackle and flare around them, they knelt down to touch the ground.

“Very well… let us end this and prove once and for all whose resolve is stronger.”

Gilgamesh pointed Ea towards the sky, and powerful red energy began to flare out around him, causing the wind to pick up the sand around them.

“The elements coalesce, amalgamate, and bring forth the star that interweaves all creation…” Gilgamesh spoke aloud, fierce determination in his eyes as he looked upon Enkidu.

“What I call upon is a breath of stars. For I walk alongside the path of man. Therefore... 'Child of man…’” Enkidu also called out, and as they did so golden chains flew upwards towards the sky from the earth in a bright ethereal glow.

“Bow down with death!”

“Let us bind the gods!”

As they spoke their incantations, the energy around Ea increased as it began to spin faster, and the air around them grew heavy. At the same time, Enkidu leapt into the sky, in the same direction as the chains rose towards, and began to glow the same golden glow as their chains, and before their very eyes, Enkidu became one with the chains, forming a larger than life spear that formed in the heavens that set its sight upon Gilgamesh below, who now pointed his sword in Enkidu’s direction.

“Enuma Elish!”

They both cried out at the same time, and as Enkidu’s golden spear-like form descended upon them, a powerful red blast arose from the tip of Gilgamesh’s sword, and as the two powerful forces crashed against each other, the force of their impact sent a wave of energy around them that went miles in all directions, everything in its path blow away.

Only the presence of Aegis could have saved Kaiba from the aftermath of such a devastating clash of immense power, and it was a good thing they were in the middle of a desert with nothing and no one around them, otherwise there was no doubt that everything and everyone would have been obliterated in an instant.

It felt like an eternity passed as their powers clashed, neither willing to give way as the force of Enkidu’s heavenly spear pierced through the sheer power of the Sword of Creation’s attack, until finally, there was a resounding explosion that shook and broke the ground around them.

As the ground cracked and crumbled beneath him, the only thing that saved Kaiba was the arrival of his Blue-Eyes White Dragon that somehow managed to get through the blast of the attack and fly under him just in time before the crumbling ground could swallow him whole, and as Kaiba climbed onto the back of his dragon, the swirling sand around him made it impossible to see anything around him as his heart hammered in his chest at what had just occurred.

With dread in his heart, Kaiba and Seto knew that all they could do was wait for the dust to settle, to see who had come out victorious from their final blow, and after what felt like another eternity, the dirt and sand began to finally settle.

Kaiba watched with wide eyes at the gaping hole created in the ground where Gilgamesh and Enkidu had previously stood, a mile wide and deep, and with more dread settling in the pit of his stomach, Kaiba commanded his dragon to head towards the crater left behind, dust still swirling within it so that what lay within it remained obscured.

“Kise…”

** _“Gilgamesh…”_ **

_Please be okay_… was their unspoken thought as they waited for the dust to clear.

As the dust began to finally thin out, and as Kaiba got closer on his dragon, they were startled by the sound of laughter rising up from the ground, and as the sand cleared with the help of the gust from the wind of his dragon’s wings, Kaiba’s eyes widened as the figures of Gilgamesh and Enkidu lying on the ground on their backs laughing filled his line of sight.

The two laughed merrily and genuinely, as if they had just been told the funniest joke in the history of time, despite the tattered remains of their clothes and armor that was the result of their ultimate attacks clashing, despite the scratches that bled lightly from the cuts and bruises on their bodies, and the dirt the stained their skin.

They laughed and laughed, their laughter mingling with each other and spurring the other on, and Kaiba blinked in confusion at the sight before him.

After a long moment, their laughter finally calmed, so they were merely chuckling, their bodies only feet away from each other as Kaiba’s dragon settled a distance away.

“It seems that even in my weakened state you cannot beat me, old friend. It is safe to say that means I am the clear victor of this battle,” Gilgamesh said as he looked at the sky, well aware that Enkidu could hear him.

“Do not jest, foolish king. I am still here, capable of speech, which means you did not beat me as you claim.”

They laughed again.

“What do you say, old friend. Shall we call it a draw? I shall treat you to a grand banquet in turn.”

Enkidu chuckled at Gilgamesh’s suggestion, and the smile on his face spoke of something much deeper.

“You dare bribe me with the promise of food and drink? You know me far too well.”

“You have to be joking… are they being serious right now?” Kaiba said aloud as he listened to the conversation of the two spirits, and the exasperated sigh from the spirit within him at least confirmed he wasn’t hallucinating.

** _“Why am I not surprised… leave it to two muscle heads to resolve their problems through a life or death fight…I am going to absolutely kill him.” _ **

Kaiba could only sigh as he shook his head and crossed his arms in front of him.

“Good… because if you didn’t, I would.”

As the two ancient friends continued their playful banter, everyone was surprised when another figure jumped down into the crater, landing easily on the ground unharmed as they turned to look at the unexpected figure.

The silver hair and slim figure was unmistakable, but something was off about the look of annoyance on her face.

“No, no, no, no!” she cried out, her hands balled into fists as she glared in their direction, causing everyone to frown.

“Kisara?” Kaiba said a loud in confusion. Wasn’t she supposed to be held captive right then?

“It wasn’t supposed to be this way! Enkidu was supposed to do away with you all! Argh! Honestly, even forged weapons brought back to life can’t be trusted! Why do I always have to do everything myself?”

“What are you saying Kisara? What do you have to do with this?” Kaiba demanded.

Kisara smirked back at him as she flipped her hair over her shoulder.

“Why… everything of course.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay but seriously... did I make you guys like Gilgamesh by the end of this? Because if I did... I will consider it an achievement. If you guys have watched the Fate series, than you can understand why I have a Love/Hate relationship with Gilgamesh. He is a downright asshole and absolutely a tyrant and I absolutely do not condone his actions in the Fate/Stay Night storyline which is where I first met him. I liked him a bit more in Fate/Zero because I thought his logic was pretty solid and his intelligence showed as much as his strength did which did not show at all in the Fate/Stay Night and UBW storyline(I'm still salty about that ending, what a fucking copout). So yeah, this was my way of coming to terms with that part of him.
> 
> One more thing! Did you guys know that in the Fate/SN and Unlimited Blade Works, Archer Emiya is voiced by the same VA as Aomine? So while Gilgamesh looks like Kise, Archer sounds like Aomine, and rewatching it after writing this fic seriously messed with my emotions! Especially because ya know... Gil and Archer do not get along at ALL, and just... the irony of it all. Archer has a pretty similar personality to Aomine too, so that absolutely didn't help things at all. Ugh. My AoKise feels will never leave me.
> 
> Also ya... what's up with Kisara yo?
> 
> TLDR; Fate is complex, here's why


	36. Fatal Battle 2/2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fight is not yet over... can they succeed against this greater threat?

All eyes except for Enkidu’s looked at Kisara with weariness. She didn’t look at all afraid or disturbed by the situation as one would except from a hostage, not to mention her sudden appearance inside a crater that Kaiba had needed his dragon to enter into and her words raised all kinds of flags that something was definitely off about this situation.

Both Gilgamesh and Enkidu had stood up from their previous position on the ground at the appearance of Kisara.

“Woman, explain yourself,” Gilgamesh demanded with narrowed eyes.

Kisara’s grin only widened at the look of annoyance on his face.

“Honestly…men are so infuriating. I can’t believe I once fell in love with such an arrogant King…I thought Enkidu’s anger and resentment would finally make you pay… but it looks like even after being forsaken and punished with death for you, Enkidu seems to still care for you. How pathetic…” Kisara now had her nose turned up at them, a hand on her hip as she looked at them with disdain.

Kaiba’s eyes narrowed at the words coming from the silver-haired woman, the words she said didn’t make sense coming from what he knew of her. How did she know Gilgamesh and Enkidu? As far as he knew, her past self had known the priest version of himself, yet she was speaking as if it was Gilgamesh she had something against. Nothing about her resembled the woman he knew as Kisara.

Gilgamesh however, seemed to have come to a realization, because he began to laugh as if he had heard a joke again.

“Ahaha, I cannot believe you are still at this woman! Really, after everything, you are still so obsessed with me? So much so that even after five thousand years, you continue to harass me? If anyone is pathetic in this… it is you… _Ishtar_.”

Gilgamesh’s amusement was replaced with a sneer as he said her name.

**_“Wait… what… I’m so confused… what’s going on…”_** Kise said as he tried to wrap his mind around everything that was happening now.

First, Gilgamesh and Enkidu had unleashed their most powerful attacks… only for them to seemingly make up when neither was killed in its aftermath… only for Kisara to show up and start saying weird things… and now Gilgamesh was calling her Ishtar?

Kisara hmphed and flipped her hair again, grinning in Gilgamesh’s direction.

“Well, your mouth is as snarky and unattractive as ever I see.”

Now, Gilgamesh crossed his arms as he glared at the slim woman.

“It all makes sense now… only someone as petty as you would bring Enkidu back to life and fill their mind with lies. The so-called Goddess who could not handle rejection when I refused to marry her… who sent down the Bull of Heaven to kill innocents out of spite and begged her parents to kill Enkidu after failing to kill us with your creature. Tell me Ishtar… what have you done this time.”

Gilgamesh’s tone was cold and left no room for argument, it was the tone of a King and the fire in his eyes reflected his will that not just anyone would be able to face without being intimidated.

Kisara… or Ishtar, however, seemed unphased by Gilgamesh’s glower, and simply frowned and scoffed.

“I’m not obligated to answer you… but I’ll happily tell you what I did, since it was so much fun to watch you suffer for the past five thousand years… and seeing as this defected weapon is of no use to me anymore…”

Now, even Enkidu glared at her, but remained eerily silent as they observed.

To their surprise, a large bow bigger than her own body painted blue with golden accents descended down from the sky to hover next to her, and as her body glowed, her outfit changed form the dress that Kisara had been wearing to a much more revealing outfit, it was little more than a white cropped no sleeved halter top shirt, black bikini bottoms, and a single knee high black stocking on her right leg and a glove on her left arm. She was also adorned with gold earrings, armband, and necklace.

Ishtar then got on the bow, hovering above the ground and within it.

**_“What is that…”_** Kise asked, wary of the new object.

_‘That is the Boat of Heaven Maanna… her choice of weapon, and quite a formidable one at that.’_

Kise was surprised that Gilgamesh had taken the time to answer his question, but appreciative, nonetheless.

“You see… after failing to have you killed, it was annoying seeing you leave your responsibilities behind…seeing you explore foreign lands, walk among the common people, and actually have _fun_. Not to mention… watching you fall in love with _him_…” Ishtar glared in Kaiba’s direction, who frowned but did not recoil at her glare.

“Yet you had the audacity to reject me… I, the most beautiful and beloved of Goddesses…” Ishtar noticeably bristled with indignation at the scoff from Gilgamesh at her words.

“I couldn’t stand by it. So, I decided I wasn’t done trying to make you suffer. I figured the only thing able to truly hurt you was none other than your precious friend… so I asked Enkidu to be brought back from the netherworld… and boy, let me tell you, that was _not_ easy, the things I had to do…but I got it done, and it was easy for Enkidu to see how you betrayed them, and work with me to get you back to Uruk so that they wouldn’t have to go back to the netherworld. With the two of us working together… it was easy to subdue you, and seal your spirit away for five-thousand glorious years so that you could not move on after death.”

Ishtar looked like the cat that had gotten the cream as she spoke of her tale, and Kise couldn’t help but feel angry at this woman. It really did make sense… that someone like her would be the reason that friends like Gilgamesh and Enkidu had been turned against each other.

“What I did not expect… was your little fail-safe… that ring of yours was a clever idea… and the fact that things aligned just so for you… I suspect someone had a hand in _that_ set of events… Fate and what not. But just because Fate aligns just so, doesn’t mean that I won’t get my way. So, after you reawakened in your reincarnation… I had no choice but to send Enkidu to reclaim you before you could free the rest of your soul. And now that even that has failed… here I am,” Ishtar said.

Kaiba frowned.

“And what of Kisara? Why do you look like her? Was that just you who looked like her this entire time?” he demanded, not satisfied with the answers that Ishtar had given them.

Rather than look annoyed, Kisara merely continued to look at ease.

“Oh, this body you mean? Actually, I’m simply possessing her for the time being. Normally, I require a body with a wavelength similar to mine, and normally this body would not be compatible with me. This woman is much too selfless to be an ideal candidate for me, but her surprising affinity for the mystical was able to counter that, and let me use her body without destroying her, which makes her an ideal vessel. I imagine she was a priestess in a past life. At least she’s beautiful, I would never accept an ugly vessel.”

Kaiba had to admit it fit of what he knew of Kisara. After all, she had once been a vessel for his Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and that was all he needed to know that she was capable of housing an ancient Goddess as well. Still, he refused to let Ishtar use an innocent person for her selfish means anymore than he was happy about Gilgamesh using Kise for his own purposes.

“Anyway… now that the air has been cleared… how about we move on to me destroying all of you?”

Gilgamesh and Kaiba tensed as they coiled for action at her threatening words, even more so when she raised an arm and pointed her pointer finger in their direction, and as Gilgamesh readied Ea once more and Kaiba’s dragon raised its wings in preparation for flight, they were all surprised when Enkidu rushed in front of them, and sent their speared chains in Ishtar’s direction, the golden portals opening up behind them as a slew of chains emerged from them towards Ishtar.

Whatever Ishtar was about to shoot their way was stopped as she moved out of the way of Enkidu’s spears instead, and she frowned as she now hovered above them, Kisara’s silver hair trailing behind her with the wind.

“I hate when defective weapons try to still work. Enkidu… I considered still using you… but it looks like you want to go back to the netherworld after all. Well, if that’s what you want, I have no trouble sending you back.”

Kise looked at Enkidu’s figure with surprise, but was happy to see that Enkidu was on their side now. He could sense however, that Gilgamesh was not as surprised by Enkidu’s actions. It seemed that Gilgamesh knew Enkidu deeply enough that their actions didn’t surprise him… perhaps the outcome of their final attack told Gilgamesh everything he needed to know, and all truly was forgiven.

Enkidu on the other hand, said nothing as they looked up at Ishtar with defiance, and more portals appeared behind them, shooting out their spears that reached up towards Ishtar in the sky.

Kise could tell however, that they lacked the firepower that they had before, and knew instinctively that the battle between Enkidu and Gilgamesh had exhausted them, their stamina likely running low. He also knew because he could feel the heaviness of his own body, and recognized that Gilgamesh also felt the effects of his battle with Enkidu. It was bad news for them to be taking on a God of all things after using up so much energy…

Ishtar easily evaded Enkidu’s attacks, and from her pointer finger shot out golden blasts that clashed against Enkidu’s spears that deflected them with ease, but despite Enkidu’s obvious weakened state, they still managed to push her back away from the crater and Gilgamesh and Kaiba.

“It seems our battle is not yet over Kaiba…” Gilgamesh said as he looked at the clashing figures of Enkidu and Ishtar.

“Do you think you can handle her?” Kaiba asked.

Gilgamesh chuckled.

“Hard to say. Both Enkidu and I have little energy left after our battle, and no matter how egotistic and annoying that incessant woman is… she is still a God, with the power of one. Nevertheless, we will not know until we give it our all, and I rather not fall at her hand. Still, I suggest you stay a safe distance away, it seems she has no intention of leaving any survivors, especially knowing how easily she holds grudges.”

Kaiba huffed as he crossed his eyes and glared at Gilgamesh.

“I’m tired of hearing that you’re out of your depth Gilgamesh. You’re not exactly inspiring confidence in me.”

Gilgamesh sent his own glare in Kaiba’s direction, and Kise had to reign him in with sheer will alone.

“If you can do better, feel free to do so. Until then, I will keep my promise of keeping Ryota safe. I have no intention of losing here. Now, if you will excuse me, I have an annoying goddess to fight, and a friend to save.”

Without waiting for a response, Gilgamesh leaped his way towards where Enkidu and Ishtar continued to fight… but anyone watching the fight could tell that Ishtar was merely toying with Enkidu. It was like watching a cat play with a mouse.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at the sight before him, and he placed a hand against the dragon still beside him for reassurance. Indeed… their fight was not yet over. And if Enkidu and Gilgamesh were on their last legs… then it seemed it would be more difficult to finish this fight than Kaiba would have liked.

“What do you make of this Priest? Can Gilgamesh handle it?” Kaiba knew that he couldn’t believe Gilgamesh’s words… and who knew him better than the spirit inside him.

Said spirit was quiet for a moment, before he sighed.

** _“Gilgamesh is strong… of that there is no doubt. But his spirit is incomplete… and after that fight with Enkidu… I do not see how they can stand up to a Goddess…”_ **

Kaiba huffed and turned to his dragon, who also craned its neck to look at him in question, waiting for a command.

“That’s all I need to know. Try not to worry priest. That Goddess still has me to deal with.”

* * *

Gilgamesh joined the battlefield with ease, the red cloth beneath his armor flaring behind him, just as Ishtar sent a large blast that Enkidu just barely avoided, the blast leaving a crater in front of them as they stumbled backwards, their breath labored as they glared at the figure of Ishtar above them.

So labored was Enkidu, that when Ishtar sent more consecutive blasts towards him, Enkidu could not react in time, and it was only thanks to Gilgamesh coming between them and the blasts with Ea in hand that Enkidu was spared as Ea’s red energy flared around them and dissipated the golden blasts.

Ishtar glared down at them after that.

“I’ve always hated that sword of yours… a mortal like you should never have been given possession of it. Only Gods should be able to hold weapons of creation… hmph.”

Gilgamesh smirked up at her.

“You can’t be a King in the Age of Gods without a treasure or two…” Gilgamesh replied.

“Hmph, fine, let’s have some fun, Goldie!” Ishtar cried out, and began her onslaught of golden blasts from her hands and bow, to which Gilgamesh tensed in preparation, and as several portals opened up behind him, spears, swords, and lances shot out from them, deflecting the golden blasts as Gilgamesh sent his own waves of power from the spinning Ea in his hand.

Ishtar was able to evade it all with a mocking laugh, twirling out of the way as if the battle was a simple recital for her.

Gilgamesh frowned, each attack was harder to bring forth than the last, and with Ishtar at full strength, the odds were not in their favor. He had enough energy to perhaps to let out one more Enuma Elish, but he would have to take Ishtar by surprise to be able to land a direct hit strong enough to do the damage needed.

Gilgamesh had no choice but to be on the defensive and wait for an opening to conserve his energy, but as Ishtar continued her barrage of attacks, it became harder and harder to keep up.

Thankfully for them, Enkidu joined the fray, and the two friends coordinated their attacks with ease, defending each other’s weak points while attacking Ishtar head on. Despite their weakened state, the battle was fierce. Enkidu took the offensive and dashed forward, while Gilgamesh watched his back from behind, his own portals sending forth his weapons when one of Ishtar’s blasts threatened to hurt Enkidu.

Once Enkidu was close enough, they were able to once more gather the energy needed to bring forth their ultimate attack, and as the golden spear tips rose from the golden portal that appeared on the ground, Enkidu rose up with them in the same way that they had done so against Gilgamesh, only this time, it was aimed at Ishtar, who looked unconcerned as Enkidu began to rise into the sky along with his chains.

Before Enkidu could complete the transformation to a spear however, the spears froze in mid-air, along with Enkidu as their eyes widened in confusion.

Gilgamesh also looked on in confusion at the sudden halt of the attack, only for Ishtar to burst out laughing obnoxiously.

“Did you really think I would let you run free with no repercussions? That I’m stupid enough to bring back a weapon with no fail-safe of my own? Don’t underestimate me, broken weapon.”

It was obvious that Ishtar somehow had control of Enkidu as she made a motion with her hands, and Enkidu’s own chains began to wrap around their body, causing them to cry out in pain.

As the chains began to tighten around Enkidu with more force, and their cries grew louder, Gilgamesh’s eyes widened with rage as they burst forward towards them, Ea drawn as more portals opened behind him, but as Ishtar turned her attention towards him, she send her own blasts his way, and as Gilgamesh drew Ea and activated its power, Ishtar only grinned as she manipulated Enkidu’s chains once more so that their chained body was placed between them.

Gilgamesh drew back after that, clicking his tongue as Ishtar used Enkidu as a shield.

“As for you, Goldie. I’m growing bored of this. So how about this… I’ll consider sparing this useless weapon if you turn yourself in. The rest of your soul is lonely without you…”

Gilgamesh frowned as he looked at Enkidu’s pained form.

Kise could feel a myriad of emotions coursing through Gilgamesh just then, but the one that worried him most was the guilt that seemed to overpower everything else.

“If I turn myself in… will you really let Enkidu go?” Gilgamesh asked.

Ishtar grinned as she looked back at Gilgamesh.

“Are you really considering giving yourself in for a tool? My… you really have changed from the selfish tyrant I knew…” she said.

**_“Gilgamesh… you can’t be serious… you’ve come all this way…”_** Kise said. He could feel that Gilgamesh was serious, that he was willing to give himself up.

_‘Why not? I could do right by Enkidu this way… I could save you, Seto, and Kaiba…I was selfish my entire life, so why should I not do this for you all? Frankly… I do not have the strength to defeat Ishtar, not in my current state. This might be the only way to keep my promise to keep you safe. Even if I cannot succeed… you should at least have a chance to live out your life. You deserve that much.’_

Kise couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“If you give me your word… I will relinquish my soul in return for everyone else’s safety. This body, Enkidu, and Seto and Kaiba. You will let them go and can have me in whatever way you wish.”

Ishtar laughed once more, her feet kicking childishly as she looked down on them.

“I accept! What fun!”

** _“Don’t be ridiculous Gilgamesh! We’ll find another way! We’ll find a way to get your soul back, and you’ll be at your full strength! We’ve come too far to give up now!”_ **

Gilgamesh frowned, not wanting to listen to Kise’s pleading words.

_‘If I truly thought that was a possibility, I would not be considering this. Fret not Ryota… I am at peace with this decision. I have no regrets. I was able to find out that Enkidu never truly betrayed me… and I was able to see Seto again. And you are not the worst person to see me off. I hope you succeed in in all your endeavors, tell Seto I am sorry… and I hope he can forgive me for this decision, and that I will never forget him.’_

Before Gilgamesh could say anything else, a golden glow enveloped one of Ishtar’s hands, and Kise felt as if something was being torn inside of him as his body tensed and he groaned in pain, his knees buckling underneath him, and after another sharp jolt of pain and the feeling of something torn continued to rake through him, the pain suddenly ended, and Kise was back in control, his hands falling onto the ground beneath him as he gasped at the suddenness of being released from Gilgamesh’s hold.

“No… Gilgamesh…” Kise whispered under his breath as he looked up at the golden sphere that Ishtar now held in her hand, and knew that it was Gilgamesh’s spirit that she held.

Enkidu was still chained, and Kise looked up expectantly, waiting for the chains to relinquish their hold on him… only for that moment to never come. Ishtar was laughing again, hovering on her back now as her legs kicked in the air with laughter.

“I can’t believe he did that… honestly. Even more unbelievable is that he actually thought I would keep my word and let the rest of you live!”

Kise tensed at her words, and soon she was upright again, her gaze settled on him with disdain.

“Just the fact that you look like him pisses me off, and all the reason I need to destroy you.”

Kise glared up at Ishtar with defiance and anger but refused to be afraid despite the circumstances. He might be out of his depth in a battle against a Goddess, but he refused to make it easy for her either.

Ishtar raised her hand in his direction, and Kise coiled his body, preparing himself to move as soon as she let lose her attack.

“Goodbye.”

Kise’s eyes narrowed as he focused on every muscle of his body, ready to read the situation so that he could act.

Before she could fire however, a blinding light behind them erupted, and Ishtar’s focus was broken as he looked up in the direction of where the flash of light came from.

Over the horizon, thee streaks of light flared across the sky, each a different color; red, blue, and gold. The streaks of light flashed over Ishtar and landed behind her. Kise watched with wide eyes as the streaks of light took shape, and revealed something Kise never thought he would ever see.

“Behold Ishtar, the Gods of Egypt!” Kise looked over his shoulder to see the figure of Kaiba atop of his dragon, his hand in the air and raising what looked like three glowing cards in his hand.

There was no mistaking it… it was really the three legendary Egyptian God cards… the cards that were said to have been lost years prior, that everyone had only ever seen during the Battle City Tournament… but… how did Kaiba get them?

“Obelisk the Tormentor, Slifer the Sky Dragon, Winged Dragon of Ra! Show this wannabe Goddess that she’s not the only God of this world!”

At Kaiba’s command, the three Egyptian Gods roared, before they settled their sights on Ishtar and attacked.

Kise watched in amazement as Slifer flew in the direction of the goddess its massive size towering over the small figure of the Goddess, who looked annoyed at the appearance of the creatures.

“You dare call these pests Gods? What a joke! I’ll dispose of them like the poor imitations that they are!”

As Ishtar engaged in battle with the Egyptian Gods, her hold on Enkidu was broken, causing their body to fall to the ground beneath. Seeing that, Kise rushed towards them to make sure they were okay, but as he reached them, it was obvious they looked worse for wear.

* * *

Kaiba looked down at the figure of the blonde making his way to Enkidu as they fell to the sand beneath them and frowned. Kise’s body was no longer wearing that flamboyant armor, he was back to wearing the tuxedo that Kise had been wearing before the current events, and Kaiba had to wonder if that meant Gilgamesh had lost or simply ran out of energy.

He looked away as the blonde began to cradle Enkidu’s unmoving figure in his arms and began to shake them, and looked to the battle of the three gods and the goddess.

He was frustrated to see that despite being outnumbered and the sheer size difference between them, Ishtar seemed to be holding her own well against the three Egyptian Gods. Still… it was his last ace in the hole…

As he thought back to that moment with Atem, he clenched his fists.

_Just as he was leaving for his ship with Gilgamesh, the sound of Atem’s voice stopped him._

_“Kaiba, wait, I have something for you.”_

_Kaiba turned to his rival and frowned but looked at him expectantly as he pulled something from some hidden pocket on his clothes and stretched his hard towards him, turning it to reveal what could only be cards in his hand._

_As Kaiba grabbed ahold of the offered cards and turned them to reveal the face of them, his eyes widened in recognition._

_“The Egyptian God cards?” Kaiba asked in disbelief. _

_“Since there’s nothing I can personally do to help you… I thought they would come in handy in my stead.”_

_Kaiba’s eyes narrowed, but he couldn’t help but also feel a trill of excitement to be holding such powerful cards that he never thought he would use again._

_“You were also a Pharaoh in a past life… you have the power to summon these cards. But remember Kaiba… your heart must be in the right place to be able to command them properly.”_

_Kaiba scoffed but smirked as he slipped the cards into his own pocket._

_“Thanks Atem, but you don’t have to worry about that. It won’t be the first time I’ve summoned the Egyptian Gods.”_

_Atem only smiled at Kaiba and nodded._

_“Still… I appreciate it. I’ll put them to good use.”_

_The words came out reluctantly from Kaiba, but it made Atem’s eyes brighten as he nodded once more._

* * *

“Enkidu! Enkidu wake up!” Kise said as he shook the green-haired weapon unconscious in his arms.

“Please Enkidu… we have to do something to get Gilgamesh back…” Kise pleaded with them as he continued to shake the body in his arms.

Kise looked up only to survey the battle, and still Ishtar was holding her own as she sent the body of Obelisk toppling onto his back after a powerful attack from her bow that seemed to drill into the large God with enough power to push him back.

If even the legendary Gods couldn’t stop her… who could?

Kise was brought back from his troubled thoughts when he felt Enkidu stir in his arms, and watched their face as their eyes slowly opened. Relief flooded in to Kise at the sight as he smiled at them.

“Gil…gamesh?” Enkidu asked tentatively, their voice weak and fatigued.

Kise shook his head.

“Sorry… but no… I’m Kise Ryota, the one you met at the museum… Ishtar took Gilgamesh… I was hoping you could help us get him back…”

Enkidu looked back at Kise with a calculative gaze, before groaning as they sat up and looked at the battle raging just a distance away.

“Kise… I see. I apologize for our initial encounter, it seems I was not in my right mind… you say Ishtar took the remainder of Gilgamesh’s soul?”

Kise nodded gravely at Enkidu’s question.

“He turned himself in so that she would let us go… but it seems Ishtar isn’t a very trustworthy Goddess.”

Enkidu frowned.

“How foolish… I never thought Gilgamesh capable of actually trusting someone like her…”

Kise frowned.

“I don’t think it’s that simple… Gilgamesh chose to put our well-being ahead of his own… even if reason told him it was the foolish thing to do…he still chose to do it. We owe it to him to get him back.”

Enkidu looked at Kise with surprise, and they blinked before a small smile formed on their face.

“I see… very well. Let us see what we can do in this dismal situation… although I must say… my energy has been spent, I will be useless in battle, especially if Ishtar has some hold on me.”

Kise frowned, his hands clenching into fists. He refused to accept defeat. Not this time, not ever again.

It was then that Kaiba landed beside them on his dragon, as Kaiba disembarked, Kise felt his heart skip a beat, and before he knew it he was up and running towards the brunette.

“Kaibacchi!” Kise cried out as he wrapped his arms around Kaiba in a tight embrace, happy when Kaiba’s own arms wrapped around him.

“Kise… it’s you,” Kaiba observed with some surprise, “What happened with Gilgamesh?”

Kise pulled away just enough to look back at Kaiba, his golden eyes tinged with sadness.

“Ishtar got him… he turned himself in for our sake…”

Kaiba felt a stab of unease go through him, and knew it was from the spirit inside of him that remained surprisingly silent through it all.

“Kaibacchi… how were you able to summon the Egyptian Gods?” Kise asked.

“A certain Pharaoh lent me their power… but it seems even the might of three Gods might not be enough to take her down…”

Kise frowned as he also looked in the direction of the battle, where Slifer and Ra sent a combined attack towards Ishtar, only for her to put up a kind of energy barrier that stopped their attack with ease.

“I grow bored of this now. I guess it’s time to show you why you are little more than pets when you listen to a simple mortal. How about I show you the might of a _real_ God?” Ishtar smirked, and grabbed onto the bow hovering beside her.

“Here we go, Maanna! Gate Open!”

As she did so, a golden portal opened up in front of her.

“Fufu, think of it as an honor. This is my full throttle! Be crushed to pieces, _'Kindle of Venus for Tectonic Deformation, An Gal Te Kigal She'_!!”

As she disappeared through the golden gate, the Gods looked around for a sign of her, but there was none to be found.

“We have to take cover! Ishtar is the Goddess of Venus, she plans to unleash the full power of the planet onto us!”

Kaiba and Kise looked in alarm at Enkidu’s frantic figure, even when Enkidu grabbed ahold of Kise’s arm and began to pull him in the direction of the crater that their attack had left behind.

Just as they began to run, a blinding light began to shine from the sky, and Kaiba’s dragon roared and grabbed ahold of them to take them to the crater faster, but even as they managed to successfully enter the depth of the crater, they could feel the heat from the wind of the attack as it shook the very ground around them, the wind whipping above them and sending debris over them as they covered their face and head, but thanks to Blue-Eyes wrapping around them protectively, and Enkidu creating a clay barrier around them, they were able to avoid any damage from the powerful attack that continued to shake the earth.

It felt like an eternity passed before the shaking stopped, but the heat around them remained, making it hard to breathe in the air.

Kaiba was the first to stand up and called to Blue-Eyes to take him up to see the damage left by the attack.

As Blue-Eyes took Kaiba up to the surface to, Kise looked at Enkidu with a pleading look, who seemed to take the hint, and once more grabbed Kise’s arm so that he stood beside them, and Kise watched in awe as Enkidu caused the ground beneath them to rise up so that they could also see the surface.

Kise watched with wide eyes at the devastation left behind. It was more than the damage that Enkidu’s and Gilgamesh’s combined power did to the landscape. Fire rose from cracks in the ground, looking like streams of lava as steam rose up in the air. It explained where the heat came from.

Even worse, all three Egyptian Gods were lying on the ground.

Kise once more clenched his fists, and Kaiba came to hover beside them.

“We should leave now while we have the chance. If the Gods couldn’t stand up against her… I don’t see what we can do now.”

Enkidu frowned at the suggestion, and Kise narrowed his eyes.

“No! We can’t leave now… we can’t leave Gilgamesh behind! We gain nothing from running away… she’s a goddess, she’ll just find us and it’ll be the same result!”

Kaiba glared at Kise.

“Don’t be a fool. If we stay, we’ll be killed here and now. We should retreat and regroup and think of another plan. I’m not saying to give up… I’m saying we need to be smart about the situation.”

Kise clenched his fists harder as he looked at the fallen gods.

He knew Kaiba was right… he always was. But… he didn’t want to accept it. He didn’t want to give up. There had to be something else they could do… he refused to accept that this was the outcome… everyone had contributed to the fight that day… everyone except him…wasn’t there something even he could do?

He was just a high schooler… he knew that… what did he have to contribute to this fight? He wasn’t a magical King like Gilgamesh… he wasn’t the weapon of Gods like Enkidu… he wasn’t even a genius like Kaiba… so why did he want to still fight?

Something burned inside of him… something fierce and persistent. Whether it was anger… defiance… resolve… Kise didn’t know. He just knew that it told him he couldn’t give up, that he couldn’t run away.

He was done running away… he was done accepting defeat. He had been doing that for far too long… and he had made his stand.

Maybe choosing an ancient Goddess to hold his ground against wasn’t the smartest of choices… but Kise would be dammed it he didn’t.

They were all surprised when the familiar golden particles they had seen before began to appear before Kise, and the book that Gilgamesh had been able to summon materialized before him and opened up to him. Its golden glow illuminated Kise’s face, and once more his clothing changed to the clothing that Gilgamesh had worn.

Only it wasn’t Gilgamesh who was wielding its power… because Kise’s eyes remained their golden color as his own widened eyes looked at the solid book floating in front of him.

And as golden Mesopotamian characters began to appear in an arc above the tablet… Kise’s eyes widened when he was able to read them as easily as if he was reading his first language.

Kise felt the familiar power of the _Dup Shimati_ flow into him, the same unbelievable strength he had felt the first time that Gilgamesh wielded it. Only this time, Gilgamesh wasn’t the one using it, because Ishtar had taken him.

Which meant… _he_ was the one using it?

Not letting the shock of the situation get the better of him, Kise extended his hand so that the book settled on his open palm.

“It seems we’re not done just yet… Kaibacchi… can you take me to the Egyptian Gods?”

Kise’s eyes shone a dark molten gold, an intense focus shining within them as he looked ahead to the wreckage left behind by Ishtar, and Kaiba frowned at the change of events, apprehension clear on his face.

“Kise… what are you planning?” he asked.

Kise didn’t look away from his line of sight.

“Trust me Kaibacchi, I know what to do.”

Kaiba remained silent for only a moment, before his sighed and crossed his arms.

“Fine… just don’t do anything stupid.”

Kise grinned, finally looking in Kaiba’s direction with a nod, and as Kaiba extended an arm to help Kise onto his Blue-Eyes, the blonde easily grasped the offered hand to get onto the mystical dragon.

Enkidu only watched as the duo flew in the direction of the broken earth with fire erupting from beneath it, before a small smile formed on his lips as his bangs covered his eyes.

Those two were something else alright.

As Kaiba and Kise approached the fallen gods, they were able to see that they were still conscious, struggling to get up.

Kaiba had no idea what Kise had in mind… and even though his every instinct told him it was foolish to stay behind, the look in Kise’s eyes were the same eyes that told Kaiba Kise wouldn’t do something if he didn’t think he had a chance of success. And considering the high stakes of this battle… Kise’s resolve spoke louder than logic could. And so, Kaiba would trust him. As he had for some time now.

It was then that Ishtar reappeared, through another golden portal with a grin as she took in the aftermath of her attack.

“Ah, so your pets are still alive. They’re resilient, I’ll give them that… and what’s this? You were able to use the Dup Shimati? How annoying. Why don’t you just die already?”

Kise glared up at the figure of Ishtar as he looked down on them.

“You know… I’ve never cared much for Gods. But you don’t exactly fit the image I had of one. You look more like a petty teenage girl who can’t take rejection.”

Ishtar glared at the figure of Kise.

“Excuse me?” she asked indignantly.

“You heard me. You’d think a so-called goddess would find something better to do with her time than trying to ruin people’s lives because she couldn’t take rejection. Well I got news for you girl! Rejection is a part of life! You’re not going to always be someone’s first choice! There will be people who reject you, and the mature thing to do is accept it and move on! Because only by moving on can you find something better than what turned you down! If a goddess can’t seem to wrap her mind around something so simple, then I feel sorry for you!”

Kise thought back to the last year he had, the feelings of inadequacy he had felt after constant defeat, the feeling of rejection when Aomine broke up with him so suddenly. It had hurt so much… but never did Kise ever consider hurting Aomine because of it. And it was hard… so hard… to move on… but it was the only option that Kise had ever given himself.

And only by moving on had he found something new to embrace… something with someone that he had never expected to, someone that brought him just as much happiness and fulfillment. Because, wasn’t that what life was about? It was about all the good and bad, the neat and gritty, the highs and lows. There would always be moments of sadness, moments of despair, and disappointment. But through the darkness, there were always moments of light, moments of happiness, victory, belonging.

And it was those moments that Kise would fight for.

Now, Ishtar was visibly shaking with rage.

“G-g-girl? Did you just call me _girl_?! Did you just say you feel _sorry_ for me? How _dare_ you talk that way to me you worthless mortal! I’ll remind you of your place!”

Ishtar once more powered up her hand in their direction, and Kaiba tensed, but noticed that Kise looked far too at ease.

It was then that Kise raised the Dup Shimati before him again as he stood atop the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and once more the characters appeared above them, only this time, Kise closed his eyes.

_“See me favorably, Goddess of Creation_

_March thou on my right hand,_

_Assist me on my left;_

_Add thy pure spell to mine._

_O goddess that blesses me,_

_Accept my offerings, and take new form,_

_In my time of need, I beseech ye,_

_Creator of Light, Horakhty!”_

The bodies of the three Egyptian gods began to glow as Kise finished his incantation, his eyes opening as the light of the three gods merged into one, and in a blinding flash of golden light, a new shape took form.

The great Horakhty was larger than the previous Egyptian Gods, two large wings upon her back plated gold, a long skirt that hugged her figure and a golden chest plate, and a large headdress upon her head, her skin was pale, almost silver in color as she radiated before them.

Ishtar gasped at the appearance.

“No… wait… how is this possible? How could a mortal summon _you_?” she cried out with recognition and wide eyes, fear evident in her eyes.

Horakhty narrowed her eyes at Ishtar before her, but did not answer as she placed her hands around the sphere on her chest plate, where it began to glow a bright golden light. As it gathered light within it, the gathered light shot out a golden blast that enveloped Ishtar with ease, who cried out, unable to do anything to stop the light.

As the light faded away, the figure of Ishtar floated seemingly unconscious from the attack, her eyes closed and her body simply floating listlessly, and before their eyes, her bow began to evaporate into golden particles, and her clothes returned to the dress that Kisara had been wearing, and as her body began to fall down back to Earth, Horakhty’s hand reached out to grab her, and then laid her down gently on an untouched part of ground beneath them.

At the same time, Blue-Eyes touched down next to the body, and both Kaiba and Kise got off the large dragon.

Kaiba had seen that figure before… back when Atem defeated Zorc. Kaiba never expected to see her again…and yet Kise had yet again managed the impossible.

Kise looked up at the form of Horakhty who met his gaze with warmth, and Kise smiled brightly.

No words were said, yet they had an entire conversation with their gaze, before Horakhty nodded, and in another spectacle of light, erupted into golden particles that also dissipated.

Kaiba and Kise watched as the particles of light rose up and disappeared as the sky cleared above them.

Kaiba turned to look at Kise, who looked relieved and at peace as he looked back at him.

“Looks like its finally over Kaibacchi… it’s a good thing there are Gods who really do look out for humanity. Even Ishtar couldn’t stand up against a Creation God.”

Kaiba made a noise of contemplation.

Perhaps… but not just anyone could summon such a god either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, thanks to everyone that has stuck around for this! I can't believe I am almost at 1000 hits for this crack story of mine, and thank you to those who continue to comment! Your feedback means everything to me! 
> 
> I really enjoyed bringing together the elements of Yugioh and Fate in this final battle, and making my baby Kise shine! Of course he had to be the one to save the day! He's the ace, after all. 
> 
> Now, all that's left is to wrap up some loose ends and get back to the modern world to bring the conclusion of this fic and Kise and Kaiba's relationship.


	37. Peace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the end of every successful journey, there is peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been having such a hard time writing lately. I know what I wanna write, but what are words and sentences that sound good to do it, amiright? But I'm still determined to finish this story and I'm almost there!
> 
> Originally I was actually going to do the tournament but as I wrote and the developing took so long to build up, the tournament just became another monster to tackle that I didn't want to because it would push this fic to like 350k words and like... no. Especially because I would want to actually write out the duels and that is so hard and time consuming and just the thought of writing even two more of those made me want to throw the fic away. Plus how do you decide who would win between Kaiba, Akashi, Yugi, and Kise?? I just can't tackle so many good duelists and have to choose just one winner(honestly I would have probably had Momoi come in clutch and win so there ya go). So I went with the Gilgamesh and Enkidu arc instead and personally I was very happy with it and liked it better anyway. I felt that having a spiritual connection and magical past kind of sets them on more equal ground and a shared experience that really brings them together.

* * *

After the golden particles disappeared, only one remained, brighter and larger than the rest.

Kise instinctively knew what it was, but still smiled in relief when the golden light floated down to him, so that when Kise extended his hand, the light disappeared into the ring on his finger.

_‘Welcome back, Gilgamesh.’_

Kise felt Gilgamesh’s presence in the corner of his mind, slowly coming to and becoming more prominent. It was odd, that even though Gilgamesh had been in his body for less than a day, his presence was already so familiar, even welcomed after the events that had just transpired.

It was also then that Enkidu joined them, almost timidly, as they approached but kept some distance between them.

Kise smiled brightly at the green-haired being, and motioned for them to come closer. It was like watching a weary wild creature as they hesitantly inched closer, their eyes slightly narrowed in apprehension.

“What’s wrong Enkidu? I promise I won’t bite,” Kise teased, trying to reassure them.

Enkidu seemed to visibly relax, their shoulders slumping slightly as they approached with their eyes downcast.

“I would not blame you if you did…” they said softly.

As Enkidu stopped short of them, Kise placed a hand on their shoulder, so that when they looked up to meet their gaze Kise gave them one of his signature bright smiles.

“Now why would I do that to Gilgamesh’s best friend?”

Kise was rewarded with Enkidu’s eyes widening, and Kise’s smile widened at the look of barely hidden relief within them.

“I do not deserve your mercy…”

This time, Kise scoffed.

“I think after what’s happened here today it’s safe to say you’re not the one to blame… sure you were bent on killing us at first… but you didn’t! And then you worked with us against the real enemy… so I say all is forgiven. Gilgamesh clearly forgave you, so why can’t I?”

Enkidu frowned, seemingly not convinced.

Seeing this, Kise sighed, placing his hands on his hips.

“Fine, then… how about you help us get the rest of Gilgamesh’s soul back? We can call it even then… don’t you think? You know where it is, don’t you?”

Enkidu’s frown relaxed, and they nodded slowly, but Kise could still see something in their eyes, something like dread.

“He will remember everything… everything I tortured him with for the past five thousand years…” Enkidu said.

Kise frowned as he realized what Enkidu was afraid of. They were afraid that Gilgamesh would hate them again, that he had forgiven them only to forsake them all over again when his memories returned.

Before Kise could say anything, Kaiba surprised him by speaking first, his brows furrowed as he stood with his arms crossed as he looked down at Enkidu.

“And you will take responsibility for it.”

It was Kaiba’s familiarly stern voice, the one that left no room for argument, and Kise watched as Enkidu’s hands clenched into fists, but was surprised when a wry grin spread across their lips.

“You are right… it is the right thing to do. I deserve whatever Gilgamesh chooses to bear towards me.”

Without another word, Enkidu raised an arm, and a golden portal began to form. Only this one was different, it took shape to resemble a bronze door, which then opened to reveal a room within.

It was a dark space, with chains everywhere, and several bare trees strewn throughout. There were no clear walls, only empty space, no clear sky, but pitch darkness the deeper it seemed to go. It was as if there was no end to the darkness that stretched within.

And above them in a risen platform of stone, was the body of Gilgamesh, bound by Enkidu’s chains and hanging by his wrists, his head ducked against his chest and his eyes closed as if unconscious. It was a dismal sight, and Kise felt his heart clench. He couldn’t even begin to fathom how a soul could be trapped in such a place for five thousand years…

Hesitantly, they walked inside, and Kise felt an icy chill travel down his body as they entered this space. This place chilled him to the very bone, and filled him with a great emptiness, and Kise wanted nothing more than to leave immediately. But he bore it, because they would not be leaving without the King hanging from those chains.

Thankfully, Enkidu raised the ground so that they were taken to where Gilgamesh was, and as soon as they were on the same level, Kise felt a pull towards the body that looked just like him. It was odd… to see a version of himself that wasn’t on the other side of a mirror.

His body acted before his mind could catch up, and Kise found himself stepping forward, closing the distance between himself and Gilgamesh. The chains held him slightly above the ground, so that he was inches above him, and Kise had to crane his neck to look up at his face.

Even in his unconscious state, there was a small furrow of Gilgamesh’s brows, and a barely discernable grimace in the corner of his lips that showed that he must be feeling discomfort. And how could he not be, in a place like this? This prison that he had called it himself. It made Kise’s heart ache, and once more his body acted before his mind did, so that Kise reached up with one of his hands and placed the tips of his fingers gently against Gilgamesh’s face.

He frowned at the coldness of his skin, and pressed his palm against his cheek.

He was surprised when he saw movement behind Gilgamesh’s eyelids, and his brows furrowed deeper, only for his eyes to slowly open a moment later.

The red irises greeted him with confusion, and Kise was pained to see fatigue shining behind those eyes. He had never been able to see Gilgamesh face to face before, but he could never picture such a look of defeat on the face of the arrogant King that Kise had grown to know in the short time his spirit had been awakened within him.

Kise smiled softly at him, surprised when Gilgamesh arched into his touch, so that he was further pressed into his hand.

He mumbled something under his breath then, and Kise struggled to hear it… but it sounded as if he said something along the lines of _‘You’re warm…’_.

A soft airy laugh escaped Kise’s lips, but he was not expecting the chains that held up Gilgamesh’s body to loosen, so that Gilgamesh was lowered to the ground, and unsteady on his feet, Kise was quick to hold him up.

Gilgamesh was able to regain his balance, but still held onto Kise as he raised his head to take in the sight before him. Kise felt him tense when his gaze strayed to Enkidu, who looked away with downcast eyes, but when Gilgamesh caught sight of Kaiba, his eyes widened in shock.

“Seto?”

Kaiba frowned, his arms still crossed, before his sighed.

“Not quite… but you’ll see him soon enough.”

Gilgamesh looked confused by the answer, and Kise smiled at Kaiba’s kinder than usual response.

“You’ll be home soon Gilgamesh…and Seto will be waiting for you,” Kise said.

It was then that Gilgamesh’s body began to glow, before his body began to dissipate into golden particles. Those particles wrapped around Kise, and as his ring began to glow, Kise felt the particles enter his body, and a familiar warmth encompassed him. This time, Gilgamesh’s presence inside of him was stronger than ever, but Kise could hear Gilgamesh’s silent request to allow him control, which Kise easily granted.

When Kise’s eyes opened, his eyes were once more Gilgamesh’s red eyes, and although Kaiba’s brows furrowed deeper, he said nothing at the change.

Gilgamesh turned his gaze to Enkidu, who still avoided his gaze as they looked at the ground.

“Enkidu… do not avert your gaze. It is unbecoming of you.”

Enkidu’s brows scrunched, and after a moment of hesitation and with visible effort, managed to raise their head so that their eyes hesitantly met Gilgamesh’s red irises.

“You are complete now… you may leave. I will not stop you.”

There was a moment of silence, and Gilgamesh looked at Enkidu with hard unreadable eyes. Enkidu was clearly tense, struggling to hold the intimidating gaze, waiting for the wrath of the King of Heroes. But before long, those red eyes softened.

“Come with me.”

Enkidu’s eyes widened, their shock rendering them speechless as they looked at Gilgamesh’s face.

“But… why… after everything I did? How can you ask that of me?”

“You were not in the wrong… despite what Ishtar did… I understand why you would feel the way you did… I do not blame you for being angry with me. In a way… I did abandon you… I was not the friend or King I should have been. We both could have done better in the situation we were put in… but a new friend of mine has taught me that we should not worry about a past we cannot change, that it is the present and future that can be altered. We can only learn from the past, and decide what to take from it. I choose to forgive you, and to forgive myself. Let us learn from our misgivings and find the peace we both crave.”

Enkidu’s eyes began to water, and soon, tears trailed down their face.

“But… it is all my fault… I was weak… I let Ishtar’s poisonous words reach the heart you gave me… I should have been happy for you… that you continued to live and were able to find happiness… and instead I was angry that you seemed to have so easily replaced me… jealous that someone else was able to gain your favor. It was never about you leaving your responsibilities behind… it was about you leaving _me_ behind…”

Gilgamesh frowned then, and quickly closed the distance between them, surprising Enkidu when he wrapped his arms around their slim figure.

“No one could ever replace you Enkidu… you are my cherished friend, and never did a day pass when I did not think of you, even after I found Seto.”

Enkidu did not move in Gilgamesh’s embrace, perhaps afraid that if they did it would all end.

“And your feelings are not a sign of weakness… those feelings are all part of having a heart. It is what it means to be human, to feel powerless against their power over you… whether they are good or bad. Accept those feelings, it is okay.”

It was then that Enkidu wrapped their arms around Gilgamesh, their embrace tight as they buried their tear-streaked face against Gilgamesh’s chest.

“I am sorry… I am so sorry…please forgive me…”

Enkidu repeated those words through their sobs, and Gilgamesh continued to hold them, whispering his own words of forgiveness and assurances until they calmed, and their sobs stopped.

When Enkidu pulled away, they looked up at Gilgamesh with a look of resignation, but also acceptance, and as they wiped at the tears on their eyes, Enkidu smiled softly, a sad smile that seemed to also speak of gratitude.

“Will you come with me then…Enkidu?” Gilgamesh asked, although it sounded more like a plea to those who heard.

After a moment of contemplation, Enkidu shook his head.

“Even if you forgive me… I… I wish to reflect on these feelings… I wish to forgive myself in the same way that you have forgiven me. Something tells me I must do that on my own...”

Gilgamesh seemed to have expected that response, but his eyes still shone with a sadness he did not even try to hide, and so he nodded in acceptance.

“But… perhaps… when that day comes… I will seek you out once more. And see how you fare with the man who won your heart in a way no one else could…”

Enkidu spared Kaiba a glance, but the way their gaze penetrated him told them it was really the spirit within him that they were looking at, before a small smile graced their lips and they nodded. Surprisingly enough, Kaiba nodded back.

The door that had been forgotten about reappeared behind them, just as Enkidu began to glow.

“Go… now that Ishtar does not hold me to this plane… I will not be able to remain.”

Gilgamesh frowned, seeming unsure about something, but Enkidu only smiled warmly.

“Worry not… I no longer fear what comes after this. I will find my way to where I belong, of that I have no doubt.”

This answer seemed to appease Gilgamesh, who nodded.

“Goodbye, my friend… until I see you again…”

Kaiba was the first to step through the door, followed by Gilgamesh whose gaze remained on Enkidu as he walked backwards, so that he was able to see Enkidu’s smile as they began to dissipate into the golden particles that signaled their disappearance from this world, followed by the closing of the door behind them.

** _“Enkidu will be okay Gilgamesh… a certain creator of light promised us to look out for them…”_ **

Kise felt Gilgamesh’s relief, but he continued to look at the empty space where the door had been.

It was then they noticed the air was breathable again, the heat left behind by Ishtar’s attack had dissipated, and only the natural heat of the desert was left behind.

And only a moment later something in the sky caught their attention, their heads craning up to take in the familiar sight of the silhouette of a dragon in the sky, but only when it began to descend did they notice that it was Kaiba’s jet, no doubt called by the brunette himself.

As it touched down on the sand a short distance from them and the cockpit opened and stairs lowered down, Kaiba turned to look at them, Kisara now cradled in his arms.

“Let’s go. It’s time for you two to go back where you belong.”

Gilgamesh felt something stir in the pit of his stomach at those words, something like anticipation and relief. Now that he regained his memories of the past five thousand years, he was doing his best to suppress them and push them to the back of his mind. He knew that he would have to deal with them eventually… but now was not the time. He wanted to remember Enkidu as the one he parted with, not the one from those years imprisoned.

As his friend, not his warden.

So Gilgamesh nodded, and followed Kaiba towards the machine that would take them to their next, and his last, destination.

* * *

The trip back to the station was a quiet affair. Gilgamesh had retreated and let Kise have control, but even Kise didn’t have his usual energy. His head was still reeling from the events of the day, and Gilgamesh’s own emotions were affecting him. He could tell Gilgamesh was trying to hide what he was feeling, the reason he had chosen to let Kise have control back over his body, but he couldn’t keep everything to himself. He knew Gilgamesh was happy to be free, but he was also sad about losing Enkidu again, even if it was in a different way than before. Still, Kise didn’t comment on it.

They had a driver pick up Kisara who woke up just as they returned to Kaiba Tower. She didn’t seem to remember anything of what happened past being kidnapped by Enkidu, and Kaiba let her go with his contact information for all the questions she had as a compromise for ushering her off so abruptly.

They immediately left for the space station, and when Kaiba was preparing the shuttle that would take them to the afterlife, Kise materialized the Dup Shimati.

“Gilgamesh… what should I do with this?” he asked as he looked at the stone book in his hands.

Gilgamesh chuckled, the riveting sound like a tickle in his mind.

** _“Keep it. You never know when you might need it again. I see no need for it where I am going. Besides, the moment it chose you, it became yours just as much.”_ **

Kise smiled, Gilgamesh’s answer made him feel accomplished and flattered, especially coming from such an arrogant king.

“Ok… I’ll take good care of it.”

Dematerializing it once more, and returning to his normal clothes, Kise felt Gilgamesh’s amusement.

**_“It looks like you have become quite adept with it already,”_** he commented, and Kise smirked.

“What can I say… I’m a fast learner.”

It wasn’t long after that Kaiba let them know the machine was ready, and they entered the ship that would take them to their final destination.

The trip was the same as always, it seemed no matter how often they had used it recently, there really was no getting used to traveling through dimensions, but as they arrived on the ancient Egyptian land, they disembarked the shuttle, and made their way towards the ancient city and the temple within.

When they entered through the gates of the Pharaoh’s temple, the Millennium Rod in Kaiba’s hand began to glow, and as Priest Seto materialized beside them, the rod disappeared from Kaiba’s hand and reappeared in Priest Seto’s. Neither commented on it, but everyone knew that it meant the Millennium Rod would no longer exist on Earth, and that perhaps its destiny had finally been completed, much like the Pharaoh’s had been when the Millennium Puzzle ceased to exist in their world.

Priest Seto then turned to Kise, his palm outstretched towards him, and Kise knew what he was asking for.

_‘Well Gilgamesh… it’s been quite the adventure. I think I’ll actually miss sharing a mind with you.’_

Gilgamesh scoffed.

** _“I highly doubt that… but you were not the worse vessel to be stuck with.”_ **

With a smile and a bittersweet feeling in his stomach, Kise took off the ring on his finger, and this time, it came off smoothly, before he placed it on Priest Seto’s hand.

“This plane is governed by the Pharaoh, so he must be the one to give Gilgamesh permission and form to remain here. You do not have to stay if you do not wish. You have done enough for us…”

Kise frowned, but looked at Kaiba.

“I’d like to stay… we still need to say our proper goodbyes and see it through to the end.”

Kaiba simply crossed his arms and nodded.

“I have something to return to Atem anyway.”

Kise smiled, realizing what Kaiba was referring to.

“Very well.”

As Priest Seto led the way to the throne room, Atem’s figure was already making his way towards them, a smile on his face as they met halfway.

“Welcome back… I take it your journey ended favorably… but… where is Gilgamesh?” he asked, brows furrowed in concern.

They were all surprised when Priest Seto dropped to one knee, head bowed.

“My Pharaoh… we indeed were able to recover Gilgamesh’s soul… and I humbly ask that you allow him to remain here and give him form. As Pharaoh… only you may grant him permission. It is my solemn wish that you do so.”

Atem’s look of surprise turned to one of fondness as a smile graced his lips.

“Seto… rise… I am offended you must ask. You served me loyally during our lifetime… and even after having your own era you could have returned to in the afterlife, you chose to follow me into this one. Gilgamesh is someone you cherish, of course he may remain here with you.”

“You have my deepest gratitude, my Pharaoh,” Priest Seto said, before rising to his feet.

He opened the palm where Gilgamesh’s soul awaited and looked at it fondly for a moment before extending out his hand to give it to Atem, who took it gently from his hand.

“I feel I must warn you… Gilgamesh is … complicated. He is arrogant, moody, headstrong, and does as he pleases. But… he is reliable, and wise, and never is there a dull moment with him around.”

Atem blinked, before he chuckled at the look of mild discomfort on Seto’s face.

“Well then, I trust you to keep him from getting too out of hand.”

As Atem cupped the ring with both hands and brought it close to his body, he closed his eyes, and as he did so, the Millennium Puzzle began to glow, enveloping the ring in his hands. Atem opened his hands and the ring began to levitate, floating to stand beside Priest Seto, where Gilgamesh’s body materialized.

Gilgamesh blinked as he came to in his own body for the first time and looked around him to see the familiar faces.

“Gilgamesh… welcome to Egypt. I hope you may be happy here,” Atem spoke.

Gilgamesh looked to Atem in front of him, and smirked, before giving a small bow.

“Pharaoh Atem, it is a pleasure to officially make your acquaintance. Forgive my poor introduction the first time we met and allow me to correct that.”

Gilgamesh straightened again.

“My name is Gilgamesh, former King of Uruk. I only briefly heard of your short reign, and you and your father left Seto with much to be desired.”

“Gil—” Seto began to reprimand him, but Gilgamesh raised a hand to stop him.

“Nevertheless… Seto seems to greatly respect you, and his loyalty to you even after your death was always one of the things I admired about him. I am looking forward to getting to know you, and I thank you for your hospitality.”

Atem grinned and could see why Seto had felt the need to warn him. Still, he could see that Gilgamesh was just hard to handle, and Atem had no problem learning how best to do so. After all, he wasn’t the first stubborn person he’d ever had in his life.

“I am looking forward to knowing you as well, Gilgamesh.”

With a nod, Gilgamesh turned to Kise and Kaiba.

“Thank you both… for helping to free my soul and reuniting me with Seto. I could not have asked for better allies.”

Kaiba said nothing, but Kise smiled and nodded.

Gilgamesh turned to Priest Seto next, closing the distance between them, his red eyes warm as he stared into the blue eyes he had greatly missed. It was Seto that then pulled Gilgamesh into his arms, drawing him close as Gilgamesh wrapped his own arms around him, welcoming the warmth he had wanted like nothing else for thousands of years in his cold prison.

Kaiba rolled his eyes while Kise looked at the display with a bright smile, before Kaiba moved to give the couple space and motioning for Atem to follow.

“Atem, I have something that belongs to you. They were a great help, but you’re right to keep them here, there’s no need for them in our world anymore.”

Kaiba handed the three Egyptian God cards to Atem, who took them with a smile.

“I’m happy to hear they were useful to you, and that you were able to fulfill your goal to rescue Kise.”

As Kise came to stand beside the brunette, Kaiba’s blue eyes looked warmly at him.

“I actually didn’t do much… it was Kise that saved us all.”

Kise blinked up at Kaiba in surprise, before smiling brightly, the burst of pride and happiness he felt in his stomach at Kaiba’s words making him reach for Kaiba’s hand, intertwining their fingers, and pleasantly surprised when Kaiba didn’t pull away, and instead gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

“It was a team effort…” Kise said, looking at Atem, who nodded in acknowledgement.

“I hope to hear about it soon… after those two finish getting reacquainted with each other. You however, must feel eager to return to your own home.”

Kise felt the tiredness that he had been ignoring hit him like a ton of bricks, and nodded.

“We should get going,” Kaiba said, and Kise nodded, reluctantly pulling away from Kaiba to interrupt the still close couple who stood with their foreheads pressed together and speaking softly to each other.

“Hey lovebirds, we’re leaving!” Kise called out, causing the two to finally pull apart.

Gilgamesh frowned, and turned to Kise.

“What do you mean? Leaving already? Blasphemous! We must celebrate my glorious return! We will hold a feast unlike any before! You mean to leave now? You are my guests of honor!” Gilgamesh crossed his arms and glared at Kise.

Kise blinked in surprise.

“Uh…”

“Of course we have to leave. Unlike you, we can’t remain here for long,” Kaiba was quick to retort.

A party sounded nice… staying with them a little longer… but Kise knew he probably couldn’t handle a party just then. He was exhausted, both physically and mentally. Not to mention that Kaiba was right, their bodies weren’t meant to be here, and a party would take too long to organize.

Gilgamesh glared deeper, before he sighed.

“Very well. I will allow this grievance this time… considering what you have done today. Ryota… a word?”

Gilgamesh motioned for Kise to follow him as he walked a short distance away, and Kise obliged, curious at what he had to say in private.

“What is it Gilgamesh?”

As the two looked at each other, Gilgamesh looked seriously at Kise.

“I simply wanted to thank you again, as I would not be here without you. Only you could have summoned the Creator of Light, an impressive feat I must admit. I also do not like being indebted to others, so I have done something for you in turn.”

Kise blinked.

“What’s that?”

“I have healed your foot injury… I peered into your mind and saw your most recent struggle and wish. You have your own rivals to defeat, and I believe now you have no excuse as to why you cannot.”

Kise’s eyes widened.

“But… how is that possible?”

Gilgamesh crossed his arms in front of him and glared indignantly at the man that looked so much like him.

“You dare doubt me? It is nothing a little magic cannot fix. With this, consider my debt repaid. I hope that when you rise victorious, you may return so that we may celebrate, properly this time.”

Kise felt his heart race with excitement, and he grinned at Gilgamesh. Despite his words and harsh outward persona, Kise knew from their time sharing a mind that Gilgamesh was just like anyone else, full of his own insecurities and inner struggles. It was nice, to see that he also had a soft spot, even if he would never admit it.

“Thank you, I appreciate it. I hope that you will finally be at peace here Gilgamesh. I learned a lot through this adventure, and I have you to thank for that. And… I have a feeling Enkidu will find you again one day. Don’t lose hope.”

Gilgamesh looked surprised by Kise’s words, and this time he smiled, his gaze turning to where Priest Seto stood. He looked just as he remembered him from so long ago, a strong and handsome figure full of confidence and assurance, and his chest burst with warmth at the sight of him. And this time, it wasn’t his mind forming an image to make his imprisonment bearable, it was truly him.

“You are right. I believe the same. I look forwards to when that time comes. And… I am where I have always wanted to be, with the person I care for most. I believe you should return home to the same.”

Feeling satisfied, Kise nodded, and made his way to where Kaiba stood patiently waiting for him, saying his own goodbyes to the Pharaoh.

“Well, I didn’t expect to see you as often as I have as of late. Not that I’m complaining, but I hope you have a well-deserved break for some time,” Atem teased.

“Not likely. I have a tournament to arrange for and host soon. I have a lot of work waiting for me. It’s you who should be worried, I can tell you that Gilgamesh is a handful. If you’re not careful, he’ll dethrone you and claim himself Pharaoh.”

Atem chuckled.

“Well, I’m sure things will be much livelier around here with our new friend. But let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

As Kaiba’s gaze settled on the approaching figure of Kise walking towards him, a familiar warmth filled his chest, and it only increased when the blonde easily slipped beside him, leaning against his side as one of his hands snaked lower where it found his own, and their fingers once more intertwined. They fit together so naturally and effortlessly that Kaiba almost found it frightening, but perhaps a bearable type of frightening.

“I always feel as if our visits are way too short, I still haven’t had the chance to talk to you, Pharaoh,” Kise said.

Atem smiled, the warm and kind smile that made others follow him with ease.

“Do not worry, Kise. Something tells me that we’ll see each other again. After all, there’s still a matter between Kaiba and I that needs to be settled,” Atem looked at Kaiba with a knowing glint in his eyes, and Kise felt Kaiba tense beside him as he turned away slightly from the Pharaoh’s gaze.

Kise knew exactly what the Pharaoh was referring to and seeing Kaiba’s reluctance to acknowledge the Pharaoh’s words made him frown, but he said nothing. That was Kaiba’s obstacle to face, and not his place to say anything. At least, not just then.

“I’d like that,” Kise said instead.

As Gilgamesh and Priest Seto said their final goodbyes, the pair turned and left the way they came, eager to return to their own dimension, hand in hand.

Gilgamesh turned to Atem with a smirk.

“Now then… let me show you how to throw a grand festival fit for a king.”

* * *

The sun had already set when Kaiba took them back to his mansion, where a hot bath and food would be waiting for them thanks to Kaiba’s attendants. Kise was eager for a bath and change of clothes and it was the first thing he did when they returned.

It felt good to be back to normal… or at least what he had known to be normal before everything that happened.

As Kise wrapped a towel around his waist and exited the attached bathroom to the guest room, he smiled when he saw a fresh set of clothes waiting for him and changed into the comfortable sweatpants and t-shirt that belonged to Kaiba. It seemed they had been wearing each other’s clothing quite a bit recently, and the thought warmed him.

With that in mind, Kise made his way to Kaiba’s room, where he said he would also be taking a bath. His room was just down the hall, and Kise remembered the first time he was in it what seemed like so long ago when Mokuba had first brought him there. So much had happened since then, it was hard to believe when he thought about it all.

Kise knocked on the door but didn’t wait for a response before opening it. As he swept the room, he saw that it was empty, but the sound of running water coming from the attached bathroom let him know that Kaiba was still in the shower.

Deciding to wait for him, Kise made his way to Kaiba’s bed and laid down, sighing as he practically sunk into the pristine white covers. It still felt like lying on a cloud, and while the bath had helped his tired muscle, the soft bed made him relax even more.

As Kise closed his eyes, he was surprised when the image of Enkidu appeared in his mind. It was the last image that Gilgamesh had seen of them, as they began to disappear from their world. Kise remembered it all too well, and he was suddenly filled with a deep feeling of melancholy.

It was bittersweet, what had happened between them. He was happy for Gilgamesh and Enkidu, they had been able to understand and forgive each other after so long, but who knew how much time would pass before Enkidu was ready to find Gilgamesh again. Kise knew they must each have plenty of inner demons to face, so perhaps some time apart would be good for them. Still… it really made Kise consider his own problems and friendships… one in particular that he had avoided facing despite how heavily it weighed on him.

So lost in his thoughts had Kise been that he didn’t hear the sound of the shower turning off, or the sound of Kaiba opening the bathroom door.

As Kaiba took in the sight of Kise on his bed with his eyes closed, something stirred within him. He had seen Kise on a bed plenty of times now… but it was different when it was the bed in his home. This mansion was one of the most private things in his life, the place he grew up in and all that it entailed. But he liked the sight of Kise on his bed, it seemed to bring a warmth to the space that was never there before, and it was why he found himself making his way to the blonde and leaning over him with just a towel around his waist, taking notice of the slight frown on his face that marred his usually cheerful personality.

As the bed sunk from the weight of Kaiba’s hands on either side of him, Kise opened his eyes and smiled as Kaiba’s face loomed close to his, raising a hand to place it against the brunette’s cheek tenderly.

“Are you okay?” Kaiba asked, seeing that Kise’s usually bright eyes indeed looked just a bit duller.

The concern behind Kaiba’s question made Kise smile wider as he nodded.

“Yeah… I’m okay.”

Kaiba frowned, but chose to lay down on the other side of the bed rather than change as he had planned. Not that Kise was complaining as he immediately turned on his side and cuddled up to Kaiba and laid his arm across his bare chest, taking in the smell of Kaiba’s fresh body wash as Kaiba’s arm wrapped behind his shoulders and pulled him closer.

“I don’t believe you,” Kaiba said, and Kise sighed.

“It’s just… sad, what happened with them all. Gilgamesh, Priest Seto, Enkidu. I’m happy with how things turned out… but the fact that it took five thousand years to get there…how lonely and in pain they must have each been during all that time. And it could all have been avoided if Enkidu and Gilgamesh had been honest with each other from the start. It’s just…sad… you know?”

Kaiba didn’t reply, after all, what could he say to make it better? He couldn’t say he felt the same way as Kise did. Kaiba didn’t care much about the lives and choices of others, in his mind, they all made choices that led them to the events of that day, and the only reason Kaiba involved himself was because he wanted to keep Kise safe from it all. Now that they were home, Kaiba had no intention of ever sparing more than a fleeting thought to the events of that day, but Kaiba didn’t want to be insensitive to Kise’s feelings either. So instead, Kaiba began to run his fingers through Kise’s hair, causing the blonde to sigh in contentment and close his eyes.

“Why don’t you stay the night?” Kaiba suggested, and Kise’s eyes shot open as he looked up at Kaiba with a frown.

“Are you crazy? I have school tomorrow, and basketball practice… the inter-high starts this week. Ugh, I don’t even want to think about that yet.”

“You just defeated an ancient goddess and freed the soul of your five-thousand-year-old doppelganger… I think you can afford to take a break and skip school and practice for a day.”

Kise chuckled.

“Coach would kill me…and somehow the thought of facing him is scarier than facing another ancient God.”

Kise was surprised when Kaiba turned his head to press his lips against his forehead, and his cheeks flared as his heart skipped a beat.

“I wouldn’t let him…” Kaiba said, and Kise thought he might actually melt as he suddenly felt lightheaded from Kaiba’s words and gesture.

“Thank you… for doing everything you did for me, and for keeping me safe.”

Kise craned his neck up to meet Kaiba’s blue eyes, which looked back at him.

“Hn.”

Kise smiled, expecting a lack of a response, and leaned up to press his lips against Kaiba’s softly. The brunette reacted immediately, pulling him closer while his other hand dug into his blonde hair, and Kise groaned when Kaiba nipped at his lower lip and the familiar heat that pooled in the pit of his stomach.

It had been a week since Kise had been with Kaiba this way, since their return from Nicaragua. Each day Kise had missed Kaiba more and more, his warmth, his kisses, his smell, even his aloofness. And during that time, his greatest fear had been that Kaiba would reject him. Only a day prior, Kise had thought that Kaiba would say no to going on a date with him… and yet… that same day he had risked his own life and used his resources to help Kise when his apparent ancient past showed up to cause havoc in his ordinary life. And now… he was holding him tenderly and kissing him in a way that set him ablaze.

Any doubts that Kise might have had were all forgotten when he thought of what Kaiba had done for him, and it was with a burst of happiness and confidence that Kise broke away from Kaiba’s lips, grinning at the displeasure on Kaiba’s face at his actions, only to sit up and move to straddle Kaiba’s lap as he placed a knee on either side of him. Kaiba’s hands moved to rest on his hips, and both their eyes reflected the same heated look of desire as Kise leaned down and recaptured Kaiba’s lips, trailing his arms up his bare sides as he did so.

“I’m guessing this means the food is going to go cold?” Kaiba said between their kisses, and Kise smiled against his lips.

“Hmm, it seems so. I’m suddenly craving something else…” Kise teased, one of his hands trailing down and slipping beneath the towel still wrapped around Kaiba’s waist.

Kaiba made a sound of agreement in the back of his throat, and slipped his own hands beneath Kise’s shirt, the feel of his warm and smooth skin only making his desire for the blonde on top of him grow.

As their kisses grew more passionate and their touches continued, Kaiba slipped off Kise’s shirt, pulling it over his head with ease as he sat up to better grasp the blond and pull him closer against his lap, the friction making them groan as Kaiba’s hands rested on his backside while Kise wrapped his arms around Kaiba’s neck.

Kaiba broke away from Kise’s lips to trail kisses along the side of his neck, making the blonde crane his neck and mewl softly as Kaiba kissed and licked his skin in a way that made him feel as if he was on fire, his fingers digging into Kaiba’s shoulders as he began to grind against his lap.

Just as Kaiba continued to leave a trail of kisses down to Kise’s chest, the sound of the door opening made them freeze.

“Surprise! Seto I’m—”

The familiar voice made Kise’s blood run cold, but he didn’t dare to confirm the source of the voice as he remained frozen with his back to the door.

“Ahhh, I’m so sorry!”

Just as quickly as the door had opened, it was slammed shut, and Kise felt his heart race and his face flare in embarrassment.

“_Oh my god_… was that _Mokuba_?” Kise hissed, burying his red face in the crook of Kaiba’s neck like an ostrich burying its head into the ground.

Kaiba was silent for a moment, before he sighed and nodded.

“Oh my god… kill me now… I can’t believe that just happened. What are we going to say to him?”

Kise finally pulled away, and looked at Kaiba with wide and fearful eyes, the mood complete forgotten even as Kise remained on Kaiba’s lap.

Kise couldn’t believe how calm Kaiba looked considering his brother had just walked in on them making out, but his heart practically melted at what he said next.

“He’s my brother. We’ll tell him the truth.”


	38. The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kise and Kaiba fill Mokuba on what he missed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blah writing has been hard lately. But the only thing I really wanna write is Kaiba/Kise love so that's better than nothing!

Even after Kaiba finished dressing, Kise still felt as if there was a ball of lead in his stomach. Just when he thought he had managed to reign in his embarrassment at the fact that Mokuba had walked in on them, it all came back when he thought about leaving the room to actually confront the younger Kaiba brother and explain the situation.

“Ready?” Kaiba asked as he looked at Kise’s figure sitting on his bed, and Kise shook his head a little too quickly.

Kaiba resisted the urge to sigh as he made his way over to the blonde, and as Kise’s eyes looked up to meet his, Kaiba could see the storm of fear and nervousness in his golden irises.

“Can you just… go talk to him first? Soften him up a little?”

This time, Kaiba did sigh.

“You’re being ridiculous…” Kaiba said softly, but his usual chiding edge was absent.

“You’re the one who can’t tell me if he’ll take it well or not!”

Kaiba looked to the door where only moments before Mokuba had unexpectedly barged through. He had not expected his little brother to be home for a long time yet, but given his cheery greeting before he saw what he had walked in on, Kaiba knew that it was nothing to be concerned about.

“Mokuba is understanding, I see no reason why he would be upset.”

Kise frowned.

“He’s never walked in on you with someone before?” Kise asked curiously.

“I’ve never brought someone home for him to be able to.”

Kaiba’s answer made Kise’s eyes widen, and warmth once more pooled in his chest at the knowledge that he was the first person Kaiba had ever brought home. It was encouraging enough that Kise finally stood from the bed with a smile on his face as he fisted his hand in Kaiba’s black shirt to pull him in for a chaste kiss.

“Okay… I’m ready now.”

Kaiba looked into Kise’s eyes, and saw that indeed his nervousness and fear had ebbed, even if only slightly.

“Good. Let’s go.”

* * *

It had taken a few minutes for Mokuba to stop feeling as if his face was on fire. It was one thing to know your brother wasn’t exactly abstinent, and it was another to walk into proof of it, let alone in their own home… After all, Kaiba had said himself that he didn’t plan on bringing a sexual partner to their childhood home, that it was not something Mokuba had to worry about.

Not that Mokuba held it against him, since he was away from home he saw no reason as to why his brother _couldn’t_ bring someone home. But it was because he knew that his brother considered it far too personal to bring someone home that Mokuba knew he didn’t have to worry about it. His brother preferred to keep his sexual encounters impersonal, which meant hotels and places with no attachment to him.

Yet… here they were. In their childhood home, and almost nothing was more personal to Seto than here. It made Mokuba’s head reel. Had something changed to cause his brother’s behavior? Mokuba wasn’t sure if he should be relieved or worried…

Before he could think on the matter further, the familiar knock of his brother sounded against his bedroom door, and Mokuba tensed. He had considered leaving and coming back later to save face and let Seto handle the situation however he wanted, and was surprised that his brother was at his door so soon. It had been less than ten minutes… what had he done with his guest? Kicked them out? That’s definitely not what he had intended…

“Come in…” Mokuba tried his best to keep his voice steady and winced when his voice still cracked a bit. What was he, a teenager?

His door opened, and Seto stepped inside, but his hand remained on the doorknob as he looked back at him.

“Dinner should be ready, do you want to eat with us?”

Mokuba froze, his eyes widening as he looked back at his brother.

_‘Us’_? As in… someone else was going to be there?

Movement behind his brother caught his attention, and the blonde hair he had seen on the person in his room came into view, but Mokuba wasn’t expecting the face that was attached to the body as it peeked around the wall onto the doorway, and Mokuba almost fell out of his own bed.

“_Kise_?! That was you?!” Mokuba practically shrieked, his brain halting to a full stop as he took in the unmistakable figure of the blonde athlete and model.

Kise seemed to freeze at Mokuba’s shocked expression, and his cheeks reddened as embarrassment settled on his face, only to cover them up with both hands.

“Y-yes…” Kise’s voice sounded more like a squeak, and Mokuba almost felt bad about how mortified Kise seemed to be, far from the confident and bubbly boy Mokuba had come to know. But how could he not be shocked? It wasn’t as if he had stopped to take a good look at the person when he walked into them.

“So… wait…. you… and… Seto…”

Mokuba stopped, his gazed moving back and forth between the two men as he held his pointed finger at them.

Kaiba sighed as he placed a hand on his hip.

“Why don’t we talk about it over dinner?”

Mokuba blinked and nodded numbly, and watched as Kaiba gently maneuvered Kise towards the hallways in the direction of the dining room, his gaze drawn to the way that Kaiba’s hand lingered on the small of Kise’s back with interest.

No one spoke as they were served a plate of food by the household staff, and even after the staff was dismissed there was a moment of awkward and tense silence.

“Mokubacchi…are you mad?”

Surprisingly, it was Kise that broke the silence, his brows furrowed with concern and guilt as he looked at Mokuba.

Once more Mokuba felt bad for making Kise so obviously uncomfortable, but the shock in his system made it hard for him to show any other expression, or think very straight for that matter.

“What? Mad? No, of course not! I’m just… surprised… and confused… and _how long has this been going on_?!”

The fierceness of his last question made Kise tense and shrink back with a wince, and as he glanced at Kaiba from the corner of his eye, it seemed the brunette would not be the one answering the question as he took a drink from his glass of water.

“Um… I guess… almost a month?”

Mokuba blinked, the shock returning to his system with a vengeance as he once more glanced back and forth between the two men.

“So… this isn’t a one-time thing?”

Kise once more seemed to shrink into his chair as he shook his head.

“But listen, Mokubacchi! Kaibacchi was a complete gentleman and we waited until I was officially eighteen and we’ve been really careful so that no one finds out!”

Mokuba blinked, now confused.

“Wait… are you guys _dating_?!” Mokuba shrieked, this time actually standing from his chair as he placed both hands on the table.

This time Kise blushed.

“Well…no.”

Now Mokuba frowned, and sat back onto his chair before his legs really did give out from under him.

“So… it’s just casual…?”

This time, a moment of silence stretched where neither of them answered, and Mokuba’s eyes widened even more.

“Alright then… so spill… tell me everything… well not everything… I don’t really need to know _those_ details.”

Kise didn’t even know where to begin, but a look in Kaiba’s direction told him the brunette didn’t seem eager to start the tale either as he took a bite of his food. With a sigh, Kise decided it was better to just come out with it.

“I’m not sure what to say. We just started hanging out few times and talking… and you know about the audition…” Kise paused, and decided to keep Kaiba’s sabotaging out of the tale since Kaiba had made it obvious he didn’t really want to have to explain that part to his brother, “So after coming back to sign the contract, we hung out again, and Kaibacchi told me about the Pharaoh and the history of duel monsters, and we actually ended up going to the afterlife with Yugicchi and his fiancé…”

Mokuba’s expression went from curious to disbelief, his eyes widening.

“Wait… Seto… you took Kise to the afterlife?! How is that even possible?” the disbelief on Mokuba’s face was blatantly obvious as he stared at his brother, his food forgotten as he took in the tale.

Kaiba sighed, not liking the look on his brother’s face, but could understand his shock. After all, Kaiba himself could hardly believe all he had allowed the blonde in the short time they’d known each other. Still, he couldn’t find it in himself to regret it either.

“I modified the dimensional transporter to be able to transport multiple people, since Yugi asked to be able to see the Pharaoh. Kise happened to be in town when Yugi called in the favor.”

“And you didn’t tell me?! What if something had happened and you needed outside help to get back!”

Now Mokuba was glaring at his brother, while the brunette sighed.

“Then I would have sent you a remote message. I have plenty of failsafe’s in place.”

Mokuba frowned deeper, but accepted the response knowing that there was nothing he could say since it had managed to work out.

More than that, Mokuba was beginning to understand the depth of what he had missed while he had been away, and he was both shocked and pleased at what Kise had managed with his brother. To think… that Kise would gain his brother’s trust so quickly… never would Mokuba have imagined anyone gaining Seto’s trust to the point that he would share such a private part of all their lives…not to mention actually allow them to experience it by taking them to a place even _he_ hadn’t gone to.

Kise continued the tale, but chose to leave out the part about his being Gilgamesh for the time being, and as he told him about their trip to Nicaragua, Mokuba was convinced he must be dreaming and he was about to wake up late for his class, because Seto had invited Kise to a weekend trip away? Was he being punked just then?

And wait… Seto actually _danced_?! This could not be real. No way.

But he knew from the way his brother frowned but said nothing when he laughed that it was absolutely the truth if he wasn’t denying it. Kise too seemed to be more at ease the more he talked. It wasn’t so much as explaining their relationship as telling him a story of their vacation and other events that had happened while he had been in the dark of it all.

Before Kise could say anything else however, the sound of Kaiba’s phone ringing caused their talking to pause as Kaiba took out his phone and answered.

He frowned at whatever the person on the other line said, but his expression showed nothing else.

“It’s alright. Show her in.”

Both Mokuba and Kise looked at Kaiba with confusion, but the brunette said nothing as he hung up the phone and resumed his eating.

“Who was that?” Mokuba asked.

“Tanaka. Looks like we’ll be having another guest.”

Mokuba blinked. Another guest? Who could it possibly be that Seto wasn’t being forthright about it?

It seemed his curiosity would soon be sated when only a moment later the doors to the dining room opened, and in walked Tanaka leading a silver-haired woman who looked timid as she followed the older man, only to frown when she caught sight of them sitting around the table.

“Sir,” Tanaka greeted with a bow.

“Thank you, Tanaka, you may leave for the night. I’ll have someone else take Ms. Bleue home.”

Tanaka nodded in understanding, and left the room after bidding them goodnight.

“I’m sorry for the intrusion… but I just couldn’t rest easy without any answers…”

Mokuba looked at the silver-haired woman with interest. He had never seen her before, and not that he wasn’t used to people seeking his brother out at all hours… but something seemed odd about this situation.

“Of course, take a seat. Would you like some dinner?” Kaiba offered as he motioned to the empty seat across from him.

The woman moved to the chair, and sat down.

“Thank you, but I’m afraid I don’t have much of an appetite right now…”

“Understandable, given the circumstances.”

Mokuba frowned. Just what circumstances were they talking about? What had his brother done this time? This women clearly looked distressed, and although he knew his brother had come a long way from certain actions he had taken in the past to advance his business, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy about the tension in the air. Kise himself looked more tense than confused, unusually silent with a stony look on his face, which gave him the impression that Kise knew something about whatever these ‘circumstances’ were.

The silver-haired woman turned to look at him with unease, and Mokuba frowned.

“Hello,” Mokuba greeted politely, “My name is Mokuba Kaiba. I’m Seto’s younger brother.”

Mokuba figured he should at least introduce himself, since it seemed no one else intended to.

The woman smiled softly at him, clearly appreciative of his effort.

“Hello Mokuba, my name is Kisara Bleue.”

Mokuba’s eyes widened, recognizing the name immediately, and as his head swiveled to his brother, the nod his brother gave him was all he needed to confirm his immediate question. _Kisara_… the women from Seto’s ancient past that he had told him about. This was her? But how?

Kaiba once more sighed.

“It’s a good thing you came when you did Mokuba. It’ll save me having to say this twice. It seems our ancient past was not yet finished.”

Mokuba frowned, his body tensing at the memories that resurfaced at Kaiba’s words.

“Tell me… Kisara. What do you want to know?”

Kisara frowned.

“On the way to my hotel… I remembered everything… what Ishtar did… and Enkidu… and you two. I want to understand it all. No lies.”

There was a moment of calculative silence as Kaiba looked at the figure of Kisara, gaging whether she could handle the truth or not, but the fierce look in her eye told him that she would not leave until she was satisfied.

“Very well. We will tell you.”

And so, they did. They told Kisara and Mokuba of what they discovered about Kise’s past, and how it tied in with his own. Of Gilgamesh, Priest Seto, Enkidu, the thousands of years imprisoned by Enkidu, and how Ishtar had been the one to orchestrate it all. How Gilgamesh had been revived, Enkidu turned against him, and how Ishtar tried to kill them all, only for Kise to save the day and for them to return Gilgamesh to his final resting place with Priest Seto.

Once more Mokuba’s head reeled, and he was both angry at himself and full of guilt… to think… that Seto had gone through such an ordeal… and he hadn’t been there to help him. Even if it seemed everything had worked out okay… because here they were, an unusual and unexpected group of people discussing ancient magic and destiny, with an archaeologist that was apparently the reincarnation of an ancient priestess, and who seemed to be taking it well all things considered. He was even more surprised to find out that Kise himself was the reincarnation of the ancient King Gilgamesh, and that he had a connection with Seto’s own ancient past. It was certainly a lot to take in… and something that would surely keep him up that night. This was the last thing he had expected when he had decided to come home…but given their own history, it wasn’t the craziest thing he had ever learned.

They answered their questions as best they could, and the whole retelling seemed to take over an hour. But finally, Kisara looked appeased.

“I see… I guess it all makes sense now. Why I’ve always been drawn to archaeology and ancient pasts… perhaps even here. It seems destiny intended for me to be here, for this moment. How interesting! I can’t wait to research and investigate this aspect of Mesopotamia and Egypt!”

Despite himself, Kise couldn’t help but smile at Kisara’s outlook.

“So, you believe us?” Kise couldn’t help but still ask.

Kisara nodded.

“It’s hard not to. Everything you’ve both said lines up with what we know of the story of Gilgamesh, and it's hard not to believe you after experiencing being possessed by a Goddess… I appreciate your honesty, and I assume you would like to keep this all a secret? Not that anyone would believe a story like this.”

At this, Mokuba couldn’t help but laugh.

“Isn’t that the truth.”

“Do you have any more questions?” Kaiba asked.

Kisara looked contemplative, before she shook her head.

“No… this is enough for now… but… do you mind if I reach out to you in the future with any other questions I might have? Or discoveries you might find interesting?”

Kaiba frowned, but the pleading look in her blue eyes that reminded him far too much of his precious dragon caused him to relent.

“I don’t see why not.”

The silver-haired woman smiled, and both Kise and Mokuba looked at Kaiba with surprise.

In the end, one of Kaiba’s security guards was the one to take Kisara home, and once more it was just the three of them left.

Kise and Mokuba were both unusually quiet, and it caused Kaiba to frown.

“Kise, it’s late, are you staying the night?” Kaiba asked, and Kise seemed to break from his thoughts as he looked at Kaiba.

He was visibly torn, but finally he sighed.

“Fine. I’ll stay, but I absolutely have to be back home in time for practice tomorrow.”

“Of course.”

Mokuba stood from his chair as he rubbed the back of his head.

“Well…tonight was sure a lot to take in. I came back so that I could watch the inter-high… and root for Kise…but I was definitely not expecting to hear about all this. Still… I’m glad you’re both okay, thanks for looking out for my brother Kise.”

Mokuba smiled, happy when Kise smiled back and nodded.

“With that being said… I’m going to go to bed and digest all of this… and I’ll see you both in the morning.”

As Mokuba moved to the side and scooted the chair back to the table, he paused and looked at the other two men in the room with a reprimanding gaze.

“And please… whatever you do tonight… try not to be loud, okay?”

Kise immediately flushed, and his brother just frowned, looking only mildly affronted.

With a grin, Mokuba raised a hand dismissably.

“Goodnight!”

As soon as Mokuba exited the room, Kise visibly deflated, and let out a long sigh.

“That was rough… but at least Mokubacchi seemed to take it okay…”

Kaiba only looked at Kise for a moment, before getting up from his chair.

“Let’s go, you must be exhausted.”

Kise had managed to hardly eat, but his own appetite was nonexistent, so he got up from the table as well and followed the brunette.

As they reached the top of the stairs, Kise’s body felt heavy, and he wanted nothing more than to lay down and sleep. He still felt guilty about skipping school, but he knew it was probably for the best. He couldn't fathom sitting in a classroom and being able to actually pay attention.

He hadn’t even noticed that he had broken away from Kaiba and heading down the opposite direction.

“Where are you going?”

Kise paused as he glanced at Kaiba, who looked at him with a frown and a contemplative look in his eye.

“Uh… to the guestroom?” Kise answered, realizing where his body was subconsciously heading.

He was surprised when Kaiba’s frown deepened.

“Why?”

Kise blinked.

“To sleep?”

Kaiba crossed his arms in front of his chest, and looked at Kise expectantly.

It took a moment of confused silence on Kise’s part before it clicked, but when it did his eyes widened and warmth blossomed in his chest.

Kaiba wanted him to go to _his_ room.

“But Kaibacchi… Mokubacchi is home… isn’t it a little weird?” Kise whispered(as if there was anyone else in the hall). He could feel himself blushing, but also felt a bubble of happiness at what Kaiba implied.

“I don’t’ see problem. He’s down the hall. And It’s not as if he doesn’t know what we’ve already done.”

Leave it to Kaiba to be logical about the situation, even though that wasn’t the point Kise was trying to get across.

“Well I meant more on the principle on the matter, but if you want me to sleep with you _that_ badly…” Kise’s lips quirked up into a teasing grin, his eyes devilish.

Kaiba however, didn’t even have the decency to look embarrassed. Instead, he just seemed inpatient and the look on his face screamed ‘_well yeah, obviously, now hurry up and give me what I want_’, that it made Kise laugh airily, before closing the distance between them and placing a soft peck of his lips against Kaiba’s.

“Ok, just give me a bit to freshen up and check my phone. I’ll be right there,” Kise said as he pulled back.

Kaiba relented, and with a nod turned around and walked in the direction of his room.

Kise’s smile remained, but he resisted the urge to sigh as he turned around and walked in the opposite direction where the guest room was.

But instead of his room, Kise stopped at the door that he now knew to be Mokuba’s room, and hesitated only for a moment before he forced himself to raise his fisted hand and knock just loud enough for Mokuba to be able to hear.

There was a moment of silence that felt longer than it was, and Kise debated knocking again or just walking away, but thankfully Mokuba’s voice followed.

“Come in.”

Kise hesitantly opened the door, and peeked his head through to see Mokuba sitting on his bed when their gazes met. He didn’t look surprised to see him, and instead smiled encouragingly.

“Um, sorry for disturbing you Mokubacchi… it’s just… I wanted to talk to you.”

Mokuba looked intrigued, but patted the empty space next to him on the bed.

“Sure, sit down, and tell me why you were seducing my brother without telling me. Or was it the other way around? Based on what you guys told me, it could go either way.”

Mokuba said it teasingly, but Kise still flushed with guilt as he took a seat next to Mokuba and forced himself to look at him, albeit sheepishly as he chuckled.

“Yeah… sorry about that. I’m actually more surprised that you took it so well, did you already know Kaibacchi liked men too?”

Mokuba blinked and tilted his head.

“Well… yeah, Seto told me when I was younger. I don’t see anything wrong with it, if anything you should have told me you liked guys too! I would have done something to get you guys together! Well… you guys got there without my help so I guess it’s a nonissue.”

Kise couldn’t help but smile as he watched Mokuba’s earnest expressions. It was good to see that Kaiba and Mokuba really were as close as they seemed, and that Mokuba was as accepting as Kise had hoped. Maybe he should have confided in the younger brother after all… but then again, until recently, Kise hadn’t been sure what the future had in store for them, and he didn’t want to drag Mokuba into something that might turn out to be nothing at all… now though… so much had happened, and that had changed.

“I’m happy to hear that. Thank you Mokubacchi… but well…the truth is… I’ve liked Kaibacchi since I first met him…and well, after everything… I asked him on a date…”

Kise found it hard to keep his gaze trained on Mokuba, but didn’t miss the way his eyes widened in surprise.

“…and he said yes.”

Kise didn’t think Mokuba’s already large eyes could get bigger.

Only for a large smile to break out across his face and his eyes brightened.

“That’s awesome!”

Kise blinked.

“Wait… you’re… happy about that?”

Mokuba chuckled at Kise’s dumbfounded expression.

“Well, yeah. I’ve wanted Seto to find someone since I learned _about_ dating. But I guess… now that I know, I really shouldn’t be surprised. You guys got along really well from the beginning… and there’s no doubt you guys are a good fit for each other.”

Kise felt relief seep into his system.

“And you don’t care about the age difference?” Kise couldn’t help but ask.

“Well, I don’t see a huge problem with it. I mean, you’re mature for your age, and like you said, Seto waited until you were eighteen so that’s good, no laws broken. If anything, you guys should probably just be careful and keep your relationship a secret until you’re a bit older to avoid a scandal, all things considered. But scandals never scared Seto and he can turn anything around so I wouldn’t worry about that too much either.”

“Oh… well, that’s good.”

Mokuba frowned, seeing for the first time that something was weighing uneasily on the usually cheerful blonde. He had been too in shock to see it before, but something was bothering Kise, something besides how he would take this new information.

“Is something wrong Kise?” Mokuba asked, concern clear on his voice.

Mokuba took in Kise’s guarded expression, and could see a struggle in his eyes as he visibly squirmed under his gaze.

“It’s just… well… I know Kaibacchi feels _something_ for me… it’s just… with Kisara appearing when she did… I keep thinking he’ll choose her and forget all about me… I mean…you saw it too right? He’s different with her …but you know him better than anyone… what do you think? Should I be worried?”

Mokuba frowned deeper at Kise’s concern, but could understand why he felt that way. After all, he had seen that his brother had treated Kisara better than he did most people.

“Hm. I see. Seto _was_ nicer to her than he usually is with people... and her ancient self _did_ sacrifice herself to save his past self…”

Kise seemed to slump at the admittance.

“But… I don’t think that means anything like what you think it does.”

Kise’s eyes brightened slightly, but he still looked unconvinced.

“Seto values loyalty, and I imagine seeing what Kisara did in his vision was one of the most selfless things someone ever did for him, even if it wasn’t _really_ him. Not to mention, the fact that she held the Blue-Eyes within her means that she was worthy of it, something that Seto doesn’t think anyone besides him is. So really, I think that what you think is attraction or infatuation is nothing but respect.”

Mokuba could see that Kise looked less tense, but a struggle still raged in his eyes.

“Not to mention, think about it, _you_ have an ancient connection to him too. And it was _your_ past self that Seto’s past self helped to rescue and took back with him to the afterlife, so doesn’t that in itself mean that his connection to your past self is stronger?”

This time, Kise’s eyes widened, as if the thought hadn’t crossed his mind until then.

“But even then, you shouldn’t base your relationship with Seto on an ancient past. You guys are different people, living in a different time, under different circumstances, and if I’ve learned anything from our adventures with magic, it’s that the past doesn’t decide the future or present. And from what I’ve seen just today, I can see that Seto really cares about you.”

Mokuba smiled reassuringly at Kise.

“Seto is the type to push people away, and I’ve never seen him let someone in besides maybe Yugi. He has never been with anyone for more than one night. Not to mention the lengths he was willing to go to help you when it came to your ancient past… Seto _never_ willingly participated in fighting against ancient evils, he only did because either I had been kidnapped or there was an opportunity to duel the Pharaoh… so the fact that he wanted to help you means he cares about you… and he agreed to a date with you! Honestly… if I hadn’t walked in on you two and heard the whole story…I wouldn’t have believed it. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen my brother be capable of. And that’s great! I’m so happy to see him opening up to someone, especially if it’s you!”

Kise’s eyes widened at the admission.

“I knew from the moment I met you that you were something special, and I’m happy that someone as talented and genuine as you has been the one to break through Seto’s walls. He really needs someone like you, someone that brings him out of his comfort zone and challenges him, not to mention makes him have fun for once. It makes me really happy.”

Kise couldn’t help but smile, his body relaxing at Mokuba’s sincere and encouraging words.

“So, how does that make you feel?” Mokuba asked.

“A lot better actually. I guess after the year I’ve had, I’ve been really insecure about a lot of things, and I’ve really been doubting myself more than I ever have. It’s silly, and really unlike me, but Kaibacchi and Gilgamesh really helped me face a lot of that, and I hate that a part of me still feels as if I’m not enough for someone like Kaibacchi… so hearing you speak so highly of me really reminds me that I should stop being so hard on myself and giving myself reasons to keep doubting myself. It’s actually kind of embarrassing.”

Mokuba was glad to see the usual confidence in Kise’s eyes, and grinned.

“Well, that’s part of being human right? And you know… when it comes to relationships, there’s no guarantee that the person you choose will always choose you back, or that they won’t fall out of love with you or you with them in time. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it your best, in fact, it’s all the more reason to try harder, don’t you think?

Relationships are about trusting someone else enough to go through life with you, grow with you, and be there when you need someone, and do the same in turn. If you’re enough for that person, then they wouldn’t even think to turn to someone else, right? They would always choose you. And if it doesn’t work out… well, that’s okay too. Sometimes things end, and you have to do your best to heal and move on. I’ve had to learn that the hard way… and it’s not until it’s over that you realize that it ended for a reason, and it just wasn’t meant to be. But you have to give yourself that chance, right?”

Kise blinked and looked at Mokuba with awe, at a loss for words at his message.

After all… wasn’t that along the lines of what he had told Ishtar just hours before? Had he already forgotten what he had tried to teach the ancient goddess?

Kise couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Wow, you’re really wise Mokubacchi. I’m really glad I talked to you. You’re absolutely right. And I’m really happy that you’re okay with me going after your brother.”

This time, it was Mokuba that laughed.

“Is this where I’m supposed to threaten you with bodily harm if you break my brother’s heart?” Mokuba teased.

“I promise to do my best to make Kaibacchi the happiest he’s ever been… if he’ll give me the chance.”

Mokuba smiled.

“If you need help wooing my brother, don’t hesitate to ask. Wow, those are words I never thought I’d say...”

Now both boys burst into laughter.

“I think I’ll take you up on that… but I should go. We should both rest, and I promise to give you a good show for the inter-high. This year is my year!”

Mokuba nodded.

“I have no doubt.”

As Kise got up from the bed and bid him one final goodnight, Mokuba couldn’t help but shake his head in disbelief at the events of the day, but made himself comfortable on the bed, a happy smile on his face.

It seemed things were going to be a lot more interesting.

* * *

Kise felt a lot lighter as he made his way to Kaiba’s room, an earnest smile on his lips as he looked forward to crawling into bed with the brunette. He wanted to forget about the world for a little bit, and all the things that had happened that day, and all the things that would be expected of him in the coming week and the months after that.

There was a bounce in his step as he opened the door to Kaiba’s room, and his smile only widened as he took in the sight of Kaiba in bed with a book in his hand that sent a trill of adoration through him. Kaiba looked relaxed, and his gaze focused as his blue eyes darted across the pages as he read.

At the sound of his door closing, Kaiba looked up from his book and set it down on his bedside table at the sight of the smiling blonde.

With a grin, Kise sauntered over to Kaiba as he climbed onto the bed, his grin widening as he settled himself atop of the brunette, his legs straddling his lap and a shiver traveling down his spine as Kaiba’s hands settled on his hips.

“What are you reading?” Kise asked as he began to trail his hands playfully up Kaiba’s torso, slowly leaning towards his face.

“Conceptual Physics and its Applications to Future Aerospace Exploits,” Kaiba murmured as Kise’s face was only an inch away from his own.

Kise hummed appreciatively as his lips were only a breath away from Kaiba’s.

“Sounds sexy…” Kise said, feeling warmth pool in his stomach as their breath’s mingled and Kaiba began to caress up his sides.

“Hm. Too bad I have a more interesting source material in front of me,” Kaiba replied.

Kise grinned as he began to place light kisses around Kaiba’s face, purposely avoiding his lips.

“Mm, yes daddy, talk dirty to me,” Kise teased.

Kaiba chuckled, the soft rumble sending a trill of warmth through Kise. It was rare to hear him laugh in any form, and every time Kise was able to draw out a sound like it gave him a sense of accomplishment.

Impatient, Kaiba placed his hands on the sides of Kise’s face, halting his peppering of kisses on his face so that he could bring his lips to his without resistance, savoring the feel of the blonde’s soft lips, the unique taste he had come to associate with him, and the warmth that he brought to every inch they touched.

In one swift movement, Kaiba maneuvered them so that Kise was lying down next to him. Their lips separated as Kise let out a surprised squeak, but relaxed when Kaiba drew him close, tucking him against his body while drawing the blanket over them.

“Maybe another time. It’s been a long weekend, and you need rest.”

Kise blinked, his cheeks coloring slightly as he realized what Kaiba meant.

Each time they had shared a bed had always been after and between their intimate encounters, but here Kaiba was offering for them to just sleep. _Together_. Without any sex involved.

And as much as Kise wanted to object and continue what they had started before Mokuba walked in on them, a much larger part of him wanted to bask in the significance of what this meant.

So instead he smiled as he settled against Kaiba, effortlessly tangling their legs together and nuzzling as close as he possibly could to the warm and solid figure that he was.

“Okay Kaibacchi, I’d like that. Thank you.”

And as Kaiba began to run his fingers through the back of his hair with an appreciative hum, Kise knew that there was no other place he would rather be.

Whatever wrath awaited him the next day, being with Kaiba in that moment was worth facing it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter wasn't in my outline, but I wanted to do justice to Kisara and not just punt her off the fic when originally her part in the story was going to be more dramatic and a huge wedge for Kaiba and Kise(oops self indulgence by expanding my crossover to include Fate, you guys probably would have liked the Kisara Arc more, maybe I'll still write it out as an alternate ending kind of thing). Also I really wanted to have a heart-to-heart with Kise and Mokuba, it was my favorite part to write.


	39. Rivals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ultimate battle between Kise and Aomine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic keeps getting longer than planned. Every time I think I'm going to tackle certain events in one chapter it ends up getting long and better handled in two.  
I struggled to find a flow because I really wanted to try and convey the feelings you get when you watch the matches in KnB, while at the same time centering around Aomine and Kise more than anything.  
It was definitely very challenging and I hope I was able to come even a little bit close, but I think overall I'm pretty satisfied with the end result.

* * *

Kise got off easier than he thought he would with his Coach and captain. They chewed him out sure, but all it took was one practice to show them that they had nothing to worry about. 

Kise felt reborn, stronger than ever. Never before had he been so aware of his own body, so in control, and so full of raw power. 

And it had nothing to do with the Dup Shimati he had left tucked into a safe corner of his room. It felt almost wrong, to leave the so-called tablet of destinies in such a vulnerable place, but it seemed worse to keep it on his person, a form of cheating even if Kise knew he would never willingly use it that way. 

The rest of the week that led to the Inter-high passed in the blink of an eye, his team focused entirely on the event ready to unfold, to prove their worth and skill on the court. 

And as expected, they defeated every school in their district easily. 

Before long it was time for the final qualification round to determine who would go to the finals and be in the top four that would guarantee them a spot in the Winter Cup, and their opponent was none other than Touo. 

But surprisingly, Kise didn’t feel the least bit nervous. 

For the first time since meeting the Ace of the Generation of Miracles, he felt unshakable. There was not a single shred of doubt in his heart that he would rise victorious this time. 

This was the moment he had been waiting for. This was where he would say his goodbyes to the demons of his past. 

The game against Touo was an away game and the locker room was humming with coiled energy. Kise sat quietly with a towel draped over his head to shut out the lights, and none of his teammates dared to disrupt his concentration. 

When Coach walked in, he knew he didn’t have to say anything, the atmosphere said everything that needed to be said.

They would be just fine. 

And with one final deep breath, Kise was ready. 

* * *

Aomine was the first on the court when warm ups started. 

He was surprised when Kise came out with the rest of his team and immediately sought him out. As their gazes met, he felt a chill run down his spine from the look of Kise’s golden eyes. 

They were familiar, a gaze he only ever saw on the blonde when he was absolutely focused, a focus so frightening that it made him tense, even as the two walked towards each other until they were face to face. 

“Kise,” Aomine greeted, his eyes narrowed as he tried his best to be casual while showing the blonde that he wanted to talk. 

If he was honest, as third years, he had hoped that one of their final face-offs while in high school would have started on better terms. One where Kise hadn’t been bothered by something he’d said that led to weeks of radio-silence. He had missed the blonde. Missed his idiotic but entertaining texts and their trips with Satsuki to get food, play a match, or just hang out. 

After all, he wanted to be Kise’s rival, not his enemy. 

“Aominecchi.” 

Aomine’s eyes widened at the unexpected greeting from Kise. The familiar nickname sent a trill of warmth through his chest, an acknowledgement of respect that he had thought Kise would have omitted since his last declaration. It made the guilt in the pit of his stomach evaporate, even if the look in Kise’s eyes still spoke of a ferocity that unnerved him. 

“Listen… about—” 

Aomine stopped talking when Kise shook his head, a small smile on his lips but a pointed look in his eyes. 

“Save your words for after the game Aominecchi. Right now, we speak through basketball. And I’m warning you, you’ve never seen anything like what I have for you today.” 

There was a glint of promise in those gold eyes, and the confident smirk on Kise’s face was something that although familiar, was also different this time, enough for goosebumps to form along his arms. 

Aomine grinned, not one to back down from a challenge, especially when he could _feel _Kise’s determination. 

“I see. Those are some strong words you got there. Let’s see if they hold up.” 

Kise reached out his hand, and while surprised, Aomine also reached out to grip the offered hand. 

“Let’s have an unforgettable match.” 

“One for the books.” 

As the two boys grinned with excitement and determination, their grip on each other’s hand tightened before they let go and turned to their respective side of the court to warm up. 

After an exchange like that, they felt more fired up than ever. 

* * *

Kise was conscious of his breathing and the beat of his heart as he got into position for the first quarter. 

There would be no benching of the Ace during this game. The stakes were far too high to do something like that. They would go all out from the start. 

The problem this year was a unique one; they were all too familiar with the opposing team. Their first year was the biggest shock of all, with new teams and dynamics, with no one quite sure how a member of the Generation of Miracles would change the outcomes and ranking of each school. And now, in their final year, while they had continued to grow, the familiarity with each other had only been affected by the departure of their seniors and the recruitment of new players. 

And while both Touo and Kaijo had promising first years, none were to the level that their prodigies had been, so both teams would be using their regulars, a lineup that they would each be familiar with. 

Of course, there was always the chance of new formations or special techniques that they might have improved on or created, but both their teams knew that the only deciding factor between them would be their Ace. Kise was the only one that could stop Aomine, and Aomine the only one that could stop Kise. The other players, with less experience and skill, simply wouldn’t compare. 

Unfortunately, for the past two years, the result had always been the same. While their matches were always explosive, Aomine had always risen victorious between the two Aces. 

A fact that had once weighed so heavily on Kise, but that today he would change. 

_ Today is the day. _

It was a phrase he had said to himself only once before. During his first year with the stakes exactly as they were today. The deciding match to see who was worthy to go to the inter-high and claim the title of champion. 

It was nostalgic, thinking back to that time. It had been an incredible year, full of so many new experiences and challenges. It had brought him back to the friends that had drifted apart from the wedge of victory, the same friends pieced back together by defeat. 

Each year since then had been incredible too, full of highs and lows. It never got easy saying goodbye to his seniors, the ones that held him up when he needed it most, and teaching those younger than him had brought its own set of new challenges. It really wasn’t easy at all, being a senpai and having so many kohais to teach. But through it all, Kise had remained the Ace, and unchanging variable even as everything else changed around him. He had won, and he had lost, and while they mostly won, each defeat felt as bitter as that first one he experienced and all those that followed. 

From now on however, Kise would not allow himself to be defeated. 

Failure was not an option. 

* * *

“The game hasn’t even started and already it feels intense, doesn’t it Seto?” Mokuba asked as he looked down at the players standing in waiting. 

Unlike the last match they had seen between the two schools, the tip-off would be done by different players, both taller than Aomine and Kise. 

From beside him, Seto made no sound, but a sidelong glance of his told Mokuba that his brother was completely focused on the match below them, causing Mokuba to smile. 

“This is going to be a great match.” 

As the referee placed the whistle in his mouth and coiled to throw the basket in the air, so did each player visibly tense. 

The whistle blew, and the ball soared into the air.

* * *

Touo’s player managed to get the ball, and it soared towards the home side of the court. 

As the receiving player caught the ball, everyone was one the move, but as he was guarded, he maneuvered and passed the ball just in time. 

Right into Aomine’s waiting hands. 

The crowd went wild, even more so when Kise appeared right in front of Aomine as he dribbled the ball, arms outstretched ready to expose even the smallest of openings to get the ball for his team. 

Aomine smirked as those familiar golden orbs burned before him, the familiar rush of excitement and adrenaline flooding his system as the sound of the ball hitting the wooden floor, the squeaks of basketball shoes, and the roar of the crowd surrounded him. This was his home, his passion, and no matter who stood before him, Aomine would do what he did best; play basketball. 

“Neh Aominecchi… do you remember what I said our first year?” 

Aomine raised a brow, not sure what Kise was getting at. 

“I once told you I wasn’t mature enough to play basketball with reason over instinct.” 

Aomine frowned, even as he tried to maneuver the ball around them to keep from being called a foul while letting Kise get to the point. 

“I realized recently that at some point I became mature after all, and started to act more with my head and less with my instincts.” 

Aomine’s gaze swept over the court, analyzing the space and calculating the speed he needed to use to get past Kise and those behind him. 

“Today you’ll see me use the best of both.” 

Aomine blinked. 

“I’m not sure what you’re getting at Kise, but as long as you’re telling me that you’re going to be at your best, that’s all I care about.” 

And then he moved, faking a pass only to swiftly move around Kise and breaking past him, just fast enough to avoid a steal. 

* * *

Momoi couldn’t seem to be able to stop her leg from bouncing, a nervous habit she’d thought she’d kicked a long time ago. 

But as she watched two of her best friends face off against each other, she knew that this match was different. 

In the past few weeks she had seen Kise undergo change at a rapid pace, more mental than physical, and it brought a sense of both relief and dread. 

She had seen it first of course, before even Aomine had figured it out. 

As good as Kise was at basketball, he should have been better. She could see his potential; she could see that he was capable of so much more. She saw it during every game he played against Touo, how his performance would fall when everything in her screamed that it was wrong. That Kise should be doing better. 

She had blamed it on his injury at first, like everyone else. 

Everyone knew that Kise’s injury had gotten better but would flare up in more intense games, that he was more limited against the Generation of Miracles. And who was more stamina draining than Aomine? 

But when she watched him play against her childhood friend, she knew it was more than just his injury. 

And this game would prove whether her hunch had been right after all. 

Either way, one of her favorite boys would lose, in more ways than one. 

And that broke her heart more than any defeat ever could. 

* * *

The first and second quarters went by in a blink of an eye, with Touo and Kaijo ending them in a tie, each keeping each other on their toes and constantly one-upping the other as the first half of their matches always went. 

It was odd, that although it had been as intense as it always was to watch the respective Aces go up against each other, there was something else in the air. 

Something eerie. 

Like the calm before the storm. 

“Something seems different about this match.” 

“You feel it too?” 

“Yeah… I can’t quite put my finger on it… but something feels different with Kise…” 

“He’s more focused than usual.” 

“Isn’t he always focused? He and Aomine are always evenly matched until the last quarter when his stamina is running out. They have the biggest rivalry since Aomine and Kagami before he left for America.” 

“That might be true, but… no this is different. What do you think Kuroko?” 

A moment of contemplative silence. 

“Coach is right. I do not think I’ve ever seen Kise quite like this.” 

* * *

Kise was having fun. 

For the first time in over a year, he was actually having_ fun _while playing against Aomine. For too long it had felt like an impossible chore, so much so that he had forgotten to simply enjoy the thrill of the fight. To appreciate the straining of his body as it worked so hard to keep Aomine at bay and in check. 

To get _stronger_ and _faster _which each new play he brought to the court, no matter how familiar. 

He remembered the fight between Enkidu and Gilgamesh, the way that even when their very lives were on the line, how the two had still smiled as they enjoyed their battle, because they were the only two that could push each other to their limits like no one else, and out of that challenge, their bond was born, and life suddenly had meaning. 

And wasn’t that what Kise had wanted from basketball all those years ago? 

He had been so bored being good at everything. He had been tired of the monotony of life. He had craved excitement more than anything. 

And that’s what basketball had given him. 

That’s what _Aomine _had given him. 

How could he have held himself back for so long? 

How could he have let his team bear the heavy weight of defeat when he had had the power to win all this time? 

Well, he knew now that he couldn’t change the past. 

It was set in stone, and all that he could do was learn from it, and change the present, towards the future he wanted. 

And it started now. 

* * *

As the third quarter started, and the players once more stepped into the court, there was a change in the atmosphere. 

All members of the Generation of Miracles felt a jolt travel up their spines as they looked down at the court, their bodies unconsciously tensing with the suddenly overwhelming presence exuding from the man below. 

Three pairs of eyes narrowed with apprehension and renewed focus and curiosity.

Something had awakened. Something powerful. 

The Emperor's lips formed a knowing smile. 

* * *

Aomine felt his entire body lock up as he moved to his starting position, and Kise to his. 

Something had changed about Kise, and Aomine didn’t like the way the hairs in the back of his neck stood on end and a chill ran down his spine. 

This was not a feeling Aomine felt often, had he _ever _actually felt this kind of chill? 

No, Aomine had never felt this level of apprehension before. 

What was this feeling? 

Aomine narrowed his eyes as he looked at Kise. 

Something had changed about him, but what was this he was feeling? 

It wasn’t the monstrous presence of Jason Silver. 

It wasn’t the wildness of Kagami. 

It wasn’t the deadliness of Akashi. 

No. 

This was nothing he had ever felt before. 

Kise wasn’t giving off anything like that. 

In fact... he was giving off _nothing at all._

That’s why it felt so wrong. 

His presence was there, overwhelming all the same, but all that Aomine could feel was a chilling cold seep into his very bones. 

_It was terrifying. _

Gone was the warmth that he had associated with the blonde, the familiarity of the tells he had learned to look for, even the gold of his eyes was different. 

Aomine couldn’t read him at all. 

Was this even Kise anymore? 

“Sorry to keep you waiting, _Aominecchi_.” 

Aomine had to fight to keep his composure as sweat formed on his forehead at the sound of Kise’s voice. 

It sounded like him... and at the same time it didn’t. 

Before Aomine could even fully process the situation, the whistle blew, and everyone was on the move. 

In a blink of an eye, it was as if Kise vanished from his line of sight, and the next thing he knew he had stolen the ball and was moving towards their basket, easily maneuvering the ball with such control and speed that he had never seen before. 

It was as if his opponents were voluntarily moving out of his way, as if his will alone was enough to push back those around him. 

Kise was deadly, untouchably so. 

They had never seen him like this, not even when he had gone into the zone against Jabberwok. 

Never before had he seen such cold precision and efficiency as he maneuvered the ball and scored shot after shot. 

Even Aomine couldn’t keep up. 

No matter how hard he tried, he suddenly wasn’t fast enough, he suddenly couldn't seem to close the gap between himself and Kise. Had he ever gotten such a clear view of his back before?

How was this possible? 

It was as if Kise had transcended to another level, where he seemed capable of phasing through everyone and everything. Not matter what the Touo players tried against him, nothing was effective, his basketball sense keeping him a step ahead of everyone. Even his team dynamics had improved, with him making impossible passes that helped his teammates score with ease. 

The whistle blew. 

A time out from Touo was called. 

It was to be expected with Kaijo having complete control of the game and now ten points ahead in just a few minutes. 

Aomine knew he shouldn’t have looked at Satsuki, knew how she would look at him with that troubled look on her face that he hated. 

But he did anyway, and he at least appreciated her effort to look away from him so that he wouldn’t see that look directly. 

His team was somber as they gathered, and Aomine wanted to kick the bench in frustration. 

“Momoi, this was unexpected, you weren’t able to predict this from Kise?” 

Satsuki looked guilty as she shook her head, and Aomine wanted to yell at the coach that it wasn’t her fault. 

“I’m sorry, I never expected this from him. I thought there would be an improvement during this game, but nothing like this. He's never shown this level of skill before.” 

The coach sighed. 

His teammate did kick the bench. 

“He’s terrifying. I’ve never felt anything like that, even when we played against Akashi."

His teammates nodded as their brows remained furrowed.

"Kise has always been scary, but who knew he could be scarier than Rakuzan’s captain?” 

"Why now? Has he just been playing us for fools until now? Why didn't he play like this before?"

Aomine glared.

"Because he couldn't. Something changed."

And he knew what that had been. As much as he hated to think about it, it was the only thing that had changed since their last match.

The coach did not look impressed. 

“Aomine, change marks. We’ll add two players to cover Kise, while you focus on scoring. Hoshido, be on standby in case an additional is needed. ” 

Aomine clenched his hands into fists. 

“Absolutely not! I can do it without help!” 

The coach narrowed his eyes. 

“Do not forget the stakes of this game Aomine. If we want to make it to the finals, we can't afford to make decisions based on your ego.” 

Aomine practically growled, then followed suit in kicking the bench. 

Their time-out was called to an end, and the teams once more filed out onto the court. 

Their game resumed, with two players on Kise, and the ball focused on Aomine. 

But it did little to help. 

Despite having multiple players covering him, it did little to stop Kise as he easily escaped from their hold, and swiftly caught up with Aomine when the ball was in his hands. 

“It’ll take more than that to stop me now.” 

Kise’s presence coming up to him was like a gust of icy air rushing at him, and even though Aomine didn’t so much as blink, the ball was suddenly gone from his hands, and Kise became a blur as he rushed past him and towards their hoop. 

Aomine was on the move in an instant, pushing his body harder than before to catch up to the blonde. 

_ More_. He needed to be _faster _to keep up with this new Kise. 

Kise didn’t even show his surprise when Aomine managed to appear in front of him, forcing him to stop his advance as he dribbled the ball out of Aomine’s reach. 

Despite this being the first time Aomine managed to stop him, Kise didn't look the least bit unnerved.

“You look troubled Aominecchi. Do you finally realize that I'm not so weak after all?” 

Aomine wasn’t sure if he liked that tone of Kise, that icy chill he had never heard before on his voice. 

“Idiot, I never once thought of you as weak.” 

There was still no expression on Kise’s face, and it made Aomine angry. 

“Good. And now I’ll show you just how strong I really am.” 

In a flurry of movements, Kise dribbled the ball around him, and as Aomine reacted, his eyes widened when Kise used ankle break on him and he fell back, just barely catching himself as he swiftly got back up and took off after Kise. 

No. He wouldn’t lose. 

With a cry, he jumped up towards the hoop as Kise moved to do throw the ball, his fingers just barely grazing the ball, but not quite enough to push it from its trajectory as it went through the net with ease. 

The whistle blew, and Kaijo was now even further ahead. 

The game continued with Aomine just barely managing to score some points for Touo when his teammates were able to slow Kise down even marginally, but not enough to bring them back to even ground. 

The whistle blew. Just like that, the third quarter was over. 

As Aomine fell to his knee from another failed block, he looked up when a shadow came over him, only to see Kise looking down at him. 

“It looks like I gave you too much credit, Aominecchi. You should try harder if you don’t want to bore me.” 

Aomine glared defiantly at the blonde, anger and indignation flaring in his chest as his fist clenched. 

He didn’t even get the chance to reply as Kise walked away. 

* * *

Kaiba could only watch with interest as he saw Kise’s true colors on the court. 

He had always known there was more to him than the blonde let on, but he had never imagined that he was also capable of being so deadly, that at his core, he could be so chillingly cold. 

He had gotten small glimpses of Kise’s coldness sure, but never did he think that the boy that seemed to exude sunshine and rainbows with that disarming smile of his could also be capable of making an entire stadium feel as if the entire building had frozen over with his presence alone. 

The tips of Kaiba’s lips quirked up, and a feeling of unexpected pride filled him as he watched Kise walk with absolute confidence to the bench as they waited for the final quarter to start. 

Kise’s coldness didn’t frighten him at all. It only reaffirmed his opinion of him, that Kise was unlike anyone he had ever met before. 

He couldn’t wait to see him crush his opponents, like the King that he was. 

* * *

The mood on the home bench had not improved at all, not when only the final quarter was left and they were so far behind.

Aomine was no different.

Why were his hands shaking? 

This was Kise. 

The Kise that he had met in middle school, that he had purposely thrown the basketball at that day to get his attention, that had made him happy when he joined basketball and surprised him when he improved so quickly, that asked for one-on-ones with him at every chance he had. 

That he had learned to love and been loved by in return. 

All that he had wanted was to see Kise happy. To see him be who he was meant to be. 

Was this it? 

What this who Kise really was? 

This cold and deadly force that Aomine could hardly recognize? 

Why was he scared? 

Was he scared because he might actually lose? 

No, of course not. 

Aomine didn’t fear defeat. He feared boredom, and mediocrity. All he wanted was opponents he could go all out against.

And isn’t that what he had in front of him now? 

This was an opponent whose strength he had never encountered before, shouldn’t he be more excited? 

_ Why was he scared? _

Aomine was surprised when he felt Momoi sit beside him. 

“You guys can be pretty stupid...” 

Aomine narrowed his eyes at her words, but remained silent knowing she had more to say. 

“You know Daichan... even if you lose this game, you don’t have to lose Kichan...” 

Aomine’s eyes widened as he looked at Momoi, even if she herself wasn’t looking at him. She was looking at the ceiling, a neutral expression on her face as she kicked her legs. 

“Even if Kichan wins, he won’t think of you as any less of a rival, but he _will _lose respect for you if you don’t do your best against him. Like it or not, this is who Kichan really is. So, are you going to be too scared to lose him for good, or are you going to face him like a true opponent?”

Aomine clenched his hands. 

Damn Satsuki. Always knowing him better than he knew himself. 

But she was right. 

His reasons for being scared had nothing to do with basketball, and everything to do with his relationship to the blonde. 

And that simply wasn’t fair to either of them. 

This was about basketball, and whatever feelings between them that had to be resolved had to be done outside the court. 

Kise had finally come to that realization. 

And now it was his turn. 

* * *

Kise remembered those words too well. 

_ ‘You said you know me better than anyone. Did you not think it could work the other way around?’ _

_ '... because you learned alongside me… it was always familiar, like a practiced dance, and I could see every step you were taking, and knew what you would do next, so that nothing could surprise me.’ _

The fact of the matter was, Aomine _did_ know him too well. 

So he had no choice but to do something that seemed obvious now. 

He had to be someone that Aomine didn’t recognize. 

He had to be the truest version of himself, the one that no one knew, not even himself. 

The one that he knew lay buried beneath every trained smile and laugh. 

The cold ruler he now knew he could be. 

The ruthless retainer, who looked down on all those beneath him and held on to his pride as a King above all. 

With complete confidence in himself, an unwavering will, and trust that his strength was absolute. 

In order to finally defeat Aomine, he would unleash it all. He had to remove himself from his personal feelings, the feelings that held him back when it came to the affection he held for his rival and ex-lover and his own deep-seeded insecurities. He had to rely on his wisdom and reason, while letting his instincts guide guide him when there was no time to think. 

The final quarter was starting, and surprisingly, Aomine was a little slower to finally make it to his spot. 

Oh? 

It looked like Touo had once again changed their strategy and realized that it didn’t matter how many players they put on him. 

As Aomine came to a stop before him, Kise could see that something had changed about him. 

He was calmer, more focused. 

He no longer looked on edge or shaken by his own change. 

“I think I finally understand what you’re doing.” 

Kise didn’t reply as Aomine spoke. 

“I can’t even be mad at you, since this is basically what I wanted from you. I guess you’re a little scarier than I thought you would be, but I guess I had that coming, huh?” 

For the first time, Kise showed a sliver of emotion as his brows furrowed just slightly. 

“But seeing as you’re bringing out your full potential, I have no choice but to find my own, huh? You’re my rival after all. And I have to keep up with you.” 

Kise tried to keep that bubble of emotion in check at Aomine’s words, tried to keep his lips from twitching and forming a smile. 

“Oh, you think you can do that?” Kise challenged. 

Aomine smirked. 

“Damn right I can. You haven’t seen anything yet.” 

Once more, Kise kept his expression neutral, and only a moment later, the whistle blew. 

The ball was in play. 

The Kaijo player once more got the tip-off, sending it to Takeshi, who was quick to evade his mark and close some of the distance towards the opposite hoop. 

Only for Aomine to cut him off and steal the ball with a quick strike. 

Kise’s eyes narrowed at the sight of Aomine quickly closing the distance to their own hoops, his movements familiar, and the reason unmistakable as Aomine made a meteor jam, only to land and turn to face him. 

His eyes sparkled with that familiar look that only a few players could achieve.

Aomine was in the Zone. 

Not once during their matches had Aomine ever gone into the zone. 

It was another slight to Kise’s pride that the blue haired player hadn’t needed to go into the zone to defeat him, another piece of evidence that Kise hadn’t been a worthy opponent, that he hadn’t been strong enough to coax out that side of him. 

Aomine’s eyes were sharp, the familiar focus in his eyes that Kise had always been resentful of those who managed to draw out that part of him in a game. 

The crowd went wild as Aomine scored, and as play continued, it was obvious to everyone watching that the game had once more reached a new level. 

While before it had seemed that there was nothing anyone could do against Kaijo’s Ace, Aomine was now matching him equally, his movements faster than ever before. 

It was the level of play that could only be expected from players of this caliber, that were rarely seen outside of a professional setting. But the crowd didn’t want to think about this being the final year of these prodigies, or that there was no telling if they would all continue the sport. No, this is what they came for, a match that they would remember for a long time, and that would inspire future generations. 

They were like a black and blue blur on the court, matching each other perfectly, a choreographed dance as they moved around each other, trying to get the better of the other. 

Everyone was on the edge of their seats, and even the other players on the court seemed to realize that there was nothing they could do as they were left watching wide-eyed at these players that seemed to transcend what they thought possible. 

Even in the zone, even when he was accessing 100% of his talent, Aomine knew that it wasn’t enough. 

_ More_. 

He pushed his legs harder, tried to focus more than he ever had. 

_ More_. 

His field of view widened; no movement escaped his vision. 

_ More._

If he hoped to stand a chance against Kise, he needed more. He needed to surpass his limits. 

_ More_. 

He needed to reach another level. 

But he wasn’t Kagami. 

He didn’t have a shadow anymore. 

There was no second door that he could open. 

_ Then I’ll make one! _

By willpower alone, Aomine sunk deeper into his focus, and a blinding light engulfed him. 

Kise’s eyes widened as he saw Aomine undergo another change. 

The aura around him changed, and Kise felt something rise in his chest. 

But now was not the time to think about that. He was in the middle of the match of his life. 

As Aomine’s skill increased more than ever, the level of their play transcended even more. 

And with only five minutes on the clock, it meant Kise could not let Aomine gain ground. 

But Aomine had no intention of making that an easy feat. Before his eyes, Aomine had become faster, and Kise once more struggled to keep up with him. He was closing the gap, surprising everyone when he actually passed the ball in unexpected plays so that even his teammates could score when Kise was on him. 

Despite the turn of events, that feeling in his chest only increased, and it wasn’t until Kise felt his lips quirk up into a smile that he realized what that feeling was. 

It was happiness. 

_ Ah... so this is what I wanted. _

Kise felt as if the world was moving in slow motion, and the warmth in his chest spread throughout his body as he watched Aomine maneuver the ball. 

It had been about more than just victory, more than just being a worthy opponent. 

_ I wanted to push him as much as he pushed me. _

What had he been thinking? How did he ever think Aomine didn’t see him as worthy? Never had Aomine ever thought less of his skill, how many times had he heard of the lengths that Aomine had gone to make sure he was given a good game. Like that time Kagami teased him about giving him shoes so that he didn’t play half-assed against him? Or when he punched Haizaki to keep him from trying something against him? 

He understood, why Aomine had been so angry at him during those games. 

Until now, the obvious reason had evaded him.

Aomine had been angry at him for holding back, for not believing in himself. And despite that, never had he held himself back, because that would be the very same disrespect that Kise was showing him. 

Of course he wouldn’t be able to go into the zone when playing against him. How could he, when he knew that Kise was holding back? That he wasn’t at his full potential? 

Aomine’s trigger was a worthy opponent, someone who pushed him past his already exceptional abilities. 

And now, Kise had forced him to a new level. 

There was no greater compliment, no greater sense of accomplishment. 

Even defeating a goddess hadn’t him given him this feeling. 

* * *

The stadium had gone silent. 

Everyone could only watch enraptured as these two high school boys took their breath away with their out of this world movements and plays. 

“They’re smiling...” 

It was true. 

The building no longer felt icy cold, instead, everything seemed brighter, as if the players themselves were creating sparks that filled the air with each of their movements. 

And the smiles on their faces were brighter than anything. 

They were the smiles of two people that had finally found what they had been looking for. 

Somewhere in the crowd, a little boy felt tears run down his face. 

He couldn’t understand it, but as he clutched his small hand to his chest, he knew one thing with certainty. 

“Mom... I want to be just like them.” 

* * *

Despite his efforts, and managing to close the gap by a large margin, the conclusion of their battle happened abruptly. 

Aomine’s stamina ran out with two minutes left on the board. 

As he fell to his knees, gasping for breath, and his legs shaking from overuse, there was no denying that he was long past his limit. 

He wouldn’t be able to continue to play. 

Aomine glared at the ground as he punched the laminated wooden floor, sweat dropping onto the court that mixed in with the tears of frustration that ran down his face. 

The whistle blew, signaling a referee timeout. 

Aomine didn’t want to face his teammates, didn’t want to show his face full of tears and defeat. 

But it wasn’t his teammates that knelt down beside him. 

It was blonde hair he saw out of the peripheral of his eye, and turned to see Kise grab hold of his arm and drape it behind his shoulder, taking on most of his weight as he lifted them to their feet. 

Aomine’s muscles screamed against the action of standing, but the look on Kise’s face was enough to make him forget the pain, his pride forcing him to take the needed steps off the court. 

Kise was smiling, his eyes soft and warm from the side profile that he could see. 

It was the Kise he was used to seeing, but more genuine and brighter than he ever remembered. 

“Thanks Daiki... for never giving up on me.” 

Aomine felt something stir in the pit of his stomach at the softness in Kise’s voice, at the sound of his name on his lips that he hadn’t heard in so long, making him gulp down the sudden tightness in his throat. 

As Kise maneuvered them so that Aomine could sit on the bench, the crowd clapped at the level of sportsmanship showed between the two players. 

Aomine found it hard to look at Kise after that, afraid of that disarming look if he were to face it directly. 

“Yeah well... took you long enough,” Aomine grumbled out. 

Kise chuckled lightly. 

“Well, it was worth the wait wasn’t it?” 

Aomine grinned as he finally turned to look at Kise. 

“Don’t act so cocky. We still have the winter cup. I’ll get you back.” 

Aomine’s eyes once more shone with fire and determination as he held out his fist. 

Kise smiled, his eyes full of the same emotions as he bumped the offered fist. 

“I’m counting on it.” 

As Kise walked back to the court, the crowd clapped once more. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP Kobe Bryant and all those aboard the helicopter.  
I was writing this chapter when I heard the news. As the basketball player that Kise most resembles, this one goes out to you.  
No matter his life choices, his legendary skill and love of the game were unquestionable, and he inspired and touched so many people.  
RIP legend. You will live on.


	40. Closure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kise and Aomine have a long overdue talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tuesday at 1 PM is probably not the best time to be updating this fic... buuuuut, here I am. Because I don't know what patience is and after 40 chapters those invested are already subscribed lol.

Despite Touo’s valiant effort, there was no closing the gap between the two schools, not with their ace benched and despite Kise having also reached his superhuman limit after Aomine left the court. 

As the final buzzer sounded, Kaijo’s players converged on Kise, their cheers loud even over the roar of crowd that stood on the stands. 

Kise accepted the shower of affection with a wide smile, his heart full now that he had been able to give his team the victory he never could before. 

As the teams lined up and bowed, the crowd continued to clap and cheer at the end of the unforgettable game. 

Aomine had to be helped by one of his teammates off the court, but he made sure to catch Kise’s gaze before both teams left for their respective locker rooms to change. 

“Jeez Kise, did you have to wait until now to show us this side of you?” Hachiro teased as he playfully punched his arm. 

“Yeah, you didn’t take some drug enhancement, did you?” 

Kise balked at Takeshi. 

“Takeshicchi! How could you say that!” 

His teammates chuckled. 

“Well listen, with how flighty and suspicious you’ve been lately, I’m just asking.” 

Kise pouted as he huffed. 

“I’m offended. How dare you think so lowly of me. I’d never cheat to win.” 

Takeshi smiled, and walked over to Kise to lightly flick him on the forehead. 

“We know. You’re pretty amazing on your own.” 

Kise blinked, his eyes widening. 

“Did you guys hear that?! Takeshicchi actually complimented me!” Kise cried out, waving his arms dramatically and causing the rest of his team to laugh. 

“Yeah yeah, don’t let it go to your head,” Takeshi replied. 

Kise grinned. 

“Is that any way to thank me for my efforts?” 

His black-haired captain grinned. 

“What do you mean? You’re our ace. It’s your responsibility to help us win.” 

Kaijo’s ace. Even after three years, Kise found he still liked the sound of that. 

Their high remained as they changed out of their uniforms and gathered their things, their jokes and teasing keeping the atmosphere light and relaxed. 

“Listen Kise, we’re going to celebrate this victory once we’re back in town, and seeing as you’ve been ditching us a lot lately, you are not allowed to skip this one. It’s our first victory against Touo, you absolutely have to be there!” Hachiro pointed accusingly at Kise, who sweat-dropped and rubbed the back of his head. 

“Of course I’ll be there… but… do you mind just texting me the name of the restaurant? There’s something I have to do before I leave… and I have a ride so you don’t have to worry about me.” 

If looks could kill, Kise would have died ten times over from the glares of his teammates. 

* * *

Kise hadn’t been lying about having to do something before he left. 

He met Kaiba in one of Touo’s empty courtyards as soon as he could get away. The brunette was leaning against the wall of a building where Kise had asked him to meet him, and felt that familiar bubble of warmth that always filled him at the sight of him. 

As Kaiba caught sight of his approaching figure, Kise couldn’t help the smile that formed on his lips, and his pace increased as he closed the distance between them. The warmth in his chest only grew as he closed the gap between them, and he didn’t leave room for words as he launched himself at Kaiba and pressed his lips against his. 

He was glad that Mokuba was waiting in the car, because it meant they were alone enough that Kaiba wrapped his arms around Kise’s waist and pulled him closer. 

Before they could get too lost in their kiss however, Kaiba gently pulled away from the blonde, his more cautious side telling him they were far too visible for such a display where they were. Even if this part of the courtyard seemed pretty empty, there were still people hanging around the school and slowly emptying out. Kise seemed to understand, and took a step back to create some space between them. 

“Congratulations on your win,” Kaiba said, looking into Kise’s bright eyes, which only brightened at the compliment. 

“Thank you.... I couldn’t have done it without you.” 

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. 

“I don’t remember playing during that game.” 

Kise laughed, and he had to resist the urge to reach for the brunette at the subtle jab. 

Before Kise could reply however, the vibration of his phone in his hand caught his attention, and looking at his lit-up screen reminded Kise of the bigger reason he had come out here. 

“Listen Kaibacchi, I really appreciate you waiting around for me… but…” 

Kaiba frowned at the hesitant look on Kise’s face. 

“Before I leave… I have to talk to Aominecchi. He’s waiting for me. Can you wait just a bit longer?” 

The look on the blonde’s face stirred unease inside Kaiba. It was hard to pinpoint a single emotion, but it was apparent he had become more attuned with the blonde from the many different emotions he could see swirling through his eyes and the subtle movements of his body. He was nervous, resigned... sad. Emotions that he should not be feeling after his victory against his greatest rival, and the reason behind it caused Kaiba to tense as that unpleasant feeling in the pit of his stomach grew. 

“You could have crushed him.” 

Kise felt his body freeze at Kaiba’s sudden and serious response. 

“Even after he managed to get better during the last quarter of the game, you could have crushed him and left him broken beyond repair… but you didn’t.” 

Kaiba’s tone was cold, almost reprimanding, and Kise looked away to the ground. 

“Why did you still hold back?” 

Kise clenched his hands into fists, unable to form words at Kaiba’s question. There was something lurking in his mind, something not quite tangible, but that somehow made him feel guilty.

“Look at me.” 

Kise knew better than to resist Kaiba’s quiet command, and slowly looked back to meet his icy blue gaze. 

Kaiba’s eyes narrowed at the guilt reflected in those golden eyes, and knew his answer before he even asked the question. 

“Even with the power to absolutely destroy him… you chose not to. Even when he’s the reason for the pain you went through, you chose to show him mercy. You did that because you still care for him… don’t you?” 

What could Kise even say to that? Still, he forced himself to say the words.

“He’s… my friend. Of course I didn’t want to hurt him… why would I?” 

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at Kise, and this time he didn’t hold back from reaching out to grab his arm and pull him closer, so that their faces were only a few inches apart. 

“If he asked you to take him back… would you?” 

Kise’s eyes widened as he looked into Kaiba’s blue eyes, but for the first time in a while, he couldn’t read them. They were guarded, the blue hues like an impenetrable ice fortress keeping him out. Even so, a realization came over him. 

Before he could stop himself, a soft laugh escaped through his lips, and Kaiba was taken aback by the sudden warmth in Kise’s eyes before as his free hand reached up to rest on his cheek. 

“Is that what you’re worried about? That I’ll go back to him?” 

Kaiba frowned, and he had to resist the urge to pull back from the blonde as his thumb stroked his cheek tenderly. 

Kise looked more at ease now, his posture relaxed as he closed the distance just slightly. 

“It bothers you that I didn’t crush him…because you’re worried I still have feelings for him and I would choose him over you.” 

This time, Kaiba did pull back, creating distance between them as his brows furrowed and he crossed his arms in front of him defiantly. 

“Why would I care about that? You’re free to do whatever you want.” 

Kise wasn’t fazed by Kaiba’s indifferent words as he continued to smile warmly at him. 

“You’re right… I am free to do what I want…” 

Kise didn’t miss the way Kaiba tensed just slightly at his reply, the way his lips twitched the slightest bit down. 

“And what I want… is to take you on an amazing date, and show you why _you_ should choose _me._” 

That disarming look was back in Kise’s eyes, and Kaiba could only sigh as he felt the familiar warmth pool in his chest as he uncrossed his arms. This boy was a bigger pain than he knew, spewing nonsense like that despite everything. He was in more denial than he’d ever been in… 

Still… 

“Idiot… if I’m worried about anything…” 

Kise blinked as Kaiba stepped towards him, and his hands reached to cup his face in both hands. 

“…it's that you are not nearly honest enough with yourself.” 

Kise could only let out a breath of surprise before Kaiba closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to his in a firm kiss, taking advantage of Kise’s parted lips as he swept his tongue into his depths, making Kise reach out and grasp onto him as his knees went weak and heat spread throughout his body. 

Kaiba’s kiss was brief as he pulled away, but it still managed to leave Kise breathless as he looked at him with unfocused eyes. 

As Kaiba let him go, he looked away and placed one of his hands in his pocket, looking every bit cool and collected despite the kiss they just shared that left Kise reeling. 

“I’ll be in the car. Take all the time you need.” 

Kise could only nod as his fingers went to touch his tingling lips and watched silently as Kaiba walked away. 

That kiss had been different. It reminded him of the kiss they had shared in the afterlife, when Kaiba had agreed to his date. It was a kiss that seemed to speak of a silent promise. But a promise of what? 

* * *

Aomine was sitting on a bench when Kise managed to finally collect himself and make his way to the designated area. At the sight of him, Aomine stood up, and Kise didn’t miss the slight wince at the motion. 

“Are you feeling better?” Kise asked as he stopped short of the blue-haired man. 

“Yeah, I’m fine. I guess it’s a good thing I don’t have any more matches coming up, huh?” 

Kise smiled at the look of annoyance on Aomine’s face. Despite his carefree words, Kise knew the loss was still bothering him. And how could it not? It was a fresh wound, and Kise knew all too well what that felt like. 

“Yeah… I can’t say the same for myself. You really gave me a run for my money,” Kise teased, despite how heavy his heart suddenly felt. 

Aomine chuckled. 

“Don’t act so humble now. Besides… you’ll be going up against Akashi in the finals, and that guy is still terrifying… even to me. You can’t afford to relax.” 

Kise blinked, realizing that Aomine was right, and silently berated himself for not even thinking about what came next. 

“You’re right… it’ll be the first time I go up against him in an actual game…” 

Aomine huffed, glaring at Kise. 

“Are you an idiot? How have you not even thought about going up against him? Do you _ want _to lose?” he berated in a gruff tone. 

Kise could only rub the back of his head sheepishly. 

“I guess… because I never thought I’d actually go up against him. Until recently… I didn’t think I would actually win against you to make it that far.” 

Kise saw Aomine’s eyes flash with anger. 

“Tch. This is exactly why you piss me off.” 

Kise smiled sadly, his eyes downcast as he stuffed his hands into his track pants. 

“Yeah I know…I think I finally understand… why you were always so upset with me during our games. You were angry that I didn’t believe in myself… that I didn’t go all out when we played.” 

Kise knew he was right by the way Aomine seemed to visibly deflate before him, his posture slumped as his expression softened and became more neutral and guarded. 

Kise felt his heart hammer in his chest, apprehension and dread filling him as fought to say the next words he needed to say. 

After all, now that their feelings on the court were finally settled, all that was left was their feelings off the court. 

“Is that why…” Kise had to swallow past the sudden tightness in his throat to say the next words. 

“Is that why you broke up with me? Because you couldn’t accept that weakness in me?” 

It physically hurt him to finally ask the question that had been festering within him for all those months, reopened wounds that he had thought had finally healed with time. It was as if the onslaught of emotions was a reminder that all he had been doing had been running away. Running away from his problems and insecurities, especially this. 

Still, Kise forced himself to never stray from looking at Aomine’s face, despite his every urge to do so. 

He couldn’t be afraid anymore… couldn’t be afraid of whatever Aomine was going to say. He had to face this, as he should have back then. 

It was why it shocked him to see Aomine’s eyes widened as he flinched at his words, only for his face to look more pained than Kise had ever seen. 

“No!” 

Kise was even more surprised when Aomine stepped forward, his hand reaching to grasp his wrist tightly, his dark eyes looking intensely into his. 

“Kise… I… I didn’t break up with you because I stopped loving you…” 

Kise felt his heart skip a beat at Aomine’s confession, knew from the look on his face that he was telling the truth. 

_ Then why… _

Why did his confession only cause his heart to ache even more? 

Aomine’s grip on his wrist tightened, and the feeling forced Kise to once more focus on the dark-haired man instead of falling into an abyss of confusion as his mind once more reeled. 

“I… I knew you wanted to defeat me… and I could see that every time you failed left you just a little bit dimmer… I could see the fight in you dying… and… I… I _hated_ it.” 

Kise felt his throat once more begin to tighten, even more so from the way that Aomine’s own voice shook with emotion as he spoke. 

Kise knew that Aomine was not very good at speaking his thoughts, could see that it was not easy for him to say these words that felt like arrows aimed at his heart. 

“I thought…that maybe the reason you couldn’t defeat me was because you loved me… that maybe that part of you didn’t want to see me lose…that our relationship was the reason you held back.” 

Kise suddenly found it difficult to breath as moisture gathered in his eyes. What was he saying? 

“I thought that if I broke up with you… the fight in your eyes would come back. I told myself that the only way we should be together, was after you defeated me in basketball… like I knew you were capable of.” 

Aomine visibly shuddered, and this time, he did look away, even if his grip on his wrist remained. 

“So, no matter how painful it was… I broke up with you... because I thought it was what was best for you. What it would take to make you realize it.” 

Kise felt as if his heart shattered, just as it had when Aomine had said those words back then, and before he realized it, tears were falling down his face. 

Kise was numb as Aomine gathered him into his arms, as he buried his face against the crook of his neck as unexpected sobs racked through his body. 

“You idiot!” Kise cried out through his tears, his hands clutching at the front of Aomine’s shirt in desperation. 

“You_ hurt _me…” 

Aomine sighed as he pulled Kise tighter around him. 

“I know…” his voice was full of guilt and resignation. 

He couldn’t even deny it. 

“Why couldn’t you just talk to me about it… why did you break my heart instead?” 

How could Aomine be so cruel? How could he leave him broken only to tell him that his intentions had been good this whole time? What was he supposed to do with that? Aomine was supposed to be the bad guy… the one who made him love him like no one else only to leave him heartbroken without so much as an answer. How many nights had he cried himself to sleep after those words? How many times had he woken from dreams that left him feeling emptier when he woke up? It had been torture, all those months that followed. 

And when he had thought he was finally past it… once he thought he had left those feelings behind… he did something like this… 

“I thought I was doing the right thing… but I was wrong… wasn’t I?” 

Kise felt his sobs quiet down, felt something else begin to seep into his heart. 

“Breaking up with you didn’t change anything… did it? It took something else… _ someone else _… for you to realize what I failed to do.” 

Brown hair and blue eyes flashed through Kise’s mind, and Kise tore himself away from Aomine’s hold as his eyes widened in realization. 

As he looked back at Aomine, Kise could see hurt once more reflected in his dark blue eyes. Only there was more than pain reflected in them… there was also guilt and defeat. 

But as Kise thought back to the past few months… the events that led him to a certain brunette that turned his world upside down, warmth once more filled his chest as he looked at Aomine. 

“He must really be great huh… to bring out the best in you…” 

Kise felt his chest once more burst with emotion, and this time he was able to wipe away at his tear-streaked face, and a small smile graced his lips. 

“Yeah… he really is something else...” 

Kise laughed, thinking back to everything that had happened, including ancient pasts and reincarnations. 

Aomine could only take in the look of warmth and affections on Kise’s face for a moment before he had to tear his gaze away before the pain could become too much to handle. 

“I was an idiot… to think that I could get you back after hurting you. I thought that if you were able to defeat me in basketball, truly defeat me… that we could somehow pick up where we left off.” 

Aomine clenched his fists at his sides, his nails digging into his palms, but the physical pain was a welcomed respite from the turmoil in his chest. 

“Now I know why Satsuki was so against it,” Aomine sighed and tilted his head back so he could look at the sky, trying to keep his own tears from falling down his face. 

“I hate that she’s always right…” 

Kise felt something tug at his heart… something like pity as he watched Aomine fight to keep his composure. This man that Kise had always looked at as a pillar of strength, even at his lowest. 

“I see now that I lost more than just a game today… I lost you too…” 

Kise felt another pang through his chest, and this time his hand clutched at his shirt over his heart. 

“Neh, Daiki…” 

Aomine felt himself tense at the softness of Kise’s voice, at the warmth that coated the sound of his name. 

“You didn’t lose me…” 

Aomine couldn’t stop himself from turning his gaze back to Kise, confused at why Kise would be saying something like that. There was a moment when the pain and dread disappeared… and something else took its place. But no… Aomine didn’t want to acknowledge what that feeling was. He didn’t dare to _hope_. 

“You’re my first love… and a part of me will always love you. You brought so much light and meaning to my life… and for that I will always be grateful to you.” 

Kise took a step forward, closing some of the distance between them. 

“I think you did the right thing after all.” 

Aomine felt his breath hitch as he became lost in Kise’s fathomless pools of gold that seemed to glisten as the moonlight reflecting off them. 

“If you hadn’t broken up with me… I would have never gone through what I did… things that you wouldn’t believe even if I told you… things that opened my eyes to who I am and what I’m capable of.” 

Kise’s eyes were full of sincerity, and Aomine could almost see in them that Kise had indeed grown, something that spoke of a maturity and understanding that hadn’t existed there before. 

“If you hadn’t broken up with me… I wouldn’t have been able to defeat you… because I wouldn’t have pursued Kaibacchi like I did… and I wouldn’t have realized everything I did.” 

Kise chuckled, as if he had just thought of a joke. 

“You could almost say that it was… _destiny_.” 

Aomine frowned, and scoffed. 

“Seriously? You believe in that crap?” 

Kise smiled, thinking back to the events that had occurred, how each path led him to something greater than himself. 

“Yeah… I do… don’t you?” 

Aomine was taken aback by the seriousness of Kise’s answer, causing him to scowl even more. Destiny? Was he really expected to believe— his eyes widened as an unexpected memory came to mind. 

_ ‘Hey, Satsuki. _ _ Do you believe in destiny? _ _ I know it’s out of character. _ _ But lately I’ve been thinking. _ _ Was it really a coincidence that The Generation of Miracles and Tetsu _ _ came together at the same time? _ _ I don’t know if it means anything _ _ . It’s just something I sense.__ We were on the same team. Then we became enemies__. Recently we all made it to this tournament _ _ . If destiny does exist, then _ _ his appearance must have been fate__, __too.'_

Ah… he remembered now. 

Destiny… huh? 

Thinking of that back then… why couldn’t something similar happen with him and Kise? Hitting him with the basketball… him joining the team… the two of them falling in love… and the two of them breaking up… only for Kise to find someone else. The one he was truly meant to be with. The one who could show him the best version of himself… A different kind of Shadow and Light. 

A wry smile formed on his lips. 

“Well… if this is what destiny has in mind… then it’s pretty cruel.” 

Kise’s eyes softened as he took in the look of Aomine’s shadowed eyes. With his heart heavy, he once more stepped closer, so that he could place his palm on Aomine’s cheek, causing him to once more meet his gaze. 

“Daiki… thank you.” 

Aomine’s eyes widened. 

“Thank you for loving me enough to let me go… even if it was painful for you too. I’m sorry for not realizing that I wasn’t the only one hurting.” 

Aomine looked away, but his own hand reached up to rest on top of Kise’s tenderly. 

“Yeah well… it was my own doing.” 

Kise smiled sadly. 

“Still… I have to ask…” Aomine started, his gaze once more meeting his, and this time, there was a look of determination in his eyes. 

“_Ryota_… if given the chance… would you consider choosing me instead?” 

Kise’s eyes widened, and against all rational thought, his heart fluttered, and all the feelings that Aomine was capable of making him feel resurfaced. 

It was as if his brain came to a halt, and time stopped. 

Because… it was that voice. 

That voice that had always warmed every inch of him. The voice that made him melt and feel as if he was truly loved. That voice that had proclaimed so many challenges, that teased him relentlessly, that had whispered so many words of endearment. 

But… 

“I’m sorry Daiki…” 

That was all in the past. 

“Even if you will always hold a place in my heart… I found something meaningful with _ him _… something I want to pursue and see where it leads.” 

Kise slowly pulled his hand away from Aomine, his heart heavy as a flash of pain crossed his face. 

“I don’t know what the future has in store for us… but it makes me really excited… because… I’m falling for him, more and more every day.” 

Kise’s smile was bright, and Aomine knew there was no room for doubt. 

“Can you accept that?” 

Aomine scoffed. 

“What choice do I have?” 

Kise smiled. 

“Don’t worry Daiki…you’ll find someone else that likes you. After all, you’re pretty easy on the eyes, even if you _ can _ be an idiot sometimes.” 

The two managed to laugh, and the air around them suddenly felt lighter, even if their hearts didn't. 

“Yeah well, that smart guy better be careful, because if he fucks up, I might decide to steal you back after all.” 

Their attention was diverted to movement out of the corner of their eyes, and the flaring white coat was familiar as they turned their gaze to the approaching figure. 

“You won’t have to worry about that.” 

Kise’s eyes widened as Kaiba stopped beside him and wrapped his arm around his waist to bring him closer to his side, all the while sending Aomine a challenging glare. 

“Kaibacchi! I thought you were waiting in the car!” Kise reprimanded in a whispered hiss, an indignant blush rising to his cheeks. 

“Yeah rich boy, what’s the big idea listening in on our conversation,” Aomine practically growled out. 

It was clear that Aomine was not happy at all with Kaiba’s appearance as he glared hotly at him, and even if Kise was mostly taken off guard, a part of him also felt intruded on with his private moment with Aomine. 

“I just wanted to make sure that your _ex-boyfriend_, wouldn’t say or do something he would regret later.” 

As Kaiba narrowed his eyes at the younger boy across from them, Aomine smirked. 

“Don’t tell me… is a rich CEO actually threatened by little ol’ me? Well, I’m flattered.” 

Kaiba scoffed. 

“Please, as if I’d bother with such nonsense. Unfortunately for you, I’m not very patient, and Kise has a celebration to attend.” 

Kise couldn’t help but feel flattered by Kaiba’s open show of protectiveness, even if he was obviously trying to hide what he might consider jealousy. He didn’t know how long Kaiba had been listening in for, but perhaps it_ had_ been enough for him to feel a bit threatened. 

“Kaibacchi is right… my teammates are waiting for me. We should go.” 

Aomine frowned, but relented with a sharp nod. 

“Thanks again Aominecchi… for everything.” 

Aomine didn’t like the way that Kise once more addressed him by his usual nickname… but it seemed only fitting. After all… he had made his decision. 

“Yeah well… just make sure to win the inter-high. I won’t accept anything less.” 

Kise smiled, even as he leaned against Kaiba beside him. 

“Neither will I… Akashicchi won’t know what hit him.” 

* * *

As Kaiba and Kise made their way to his car, Kise found himself reaching for Kaiba’s sleeve with a shaking hand. 

“Kaibacchi… you knew… didn’t you?” 

Kaiba didn’t pull away from Kise, didn’t have to ask what Kise meant with his question. 

_ “… _ _ you are not nearly honest enough with yourself _ _ .” _

Because of course Kaiba had known. 

That’s what he had meant by his parting words before Kise left to talk to Aomine. 

Kaiba had known that Aomine still had feelings for him, had known that a part of Kise still had feelings for Aomine as well. He had known that there was unresolved history between them. And still, he had chosen to let Kise go to make the decision on his own. Even if a part of him might have fallen back into the feelings for his first love and left him behind. 

“I guess you were right Kaibacchi… a part of me is still coming to terms with everything that happened with Aominecchi. It doesn’t mean that I’ll run back to him at any moment, but… can you be a little bit patient with me?” 

Kise’s face was ducked down, his eyes shadowed by his hair, so Kaiba couldn’t see the expression on his face. He could only hear the resignation in his voice, the edge of sadness to it.

As he looked around, he was glad that there was no one around, the parking lot mostly empty besides his own car and a few others that looked empty as well. 

“Like I said… I’m not very patient,” he replied, his hand gently prying Kise’s grip from his sleeve, causing Kise to tense slightly, only for him to intertwine their fingers together as they continued the short walk towards the car. 

Kise’s eyes widened as he looked up to see Kaiba’s face, only to be met by his usual calm demeanor as he kept his gaze forward. A tingle from his hand in his traveled up his arm, and warmth bubbled up in his chest as a tear ran down his face. 

“But for you, I can try to be.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhhhhh. I'm sorry to disappoint all Aokise fans out there. Listen ya'll, this was just as painful to write as it might have been for you to read. I hope you guys were satisfied with the reason that Aomine broke up with Kise, and that as heartbreaking as the situation was... it had to be done? Like Kise said, it really HAD to happen this way to trigger everything that followed, and Aomine was never meant to be a bad guy or treated like one for the sake of drama.
> 
> I wanted to do right by Aomine too and respect his feelings, and I almost had them have ONE kiss but I just think that would have been more painful for him? It's bad enough losing the guy you loved for something you now regret doing, only to be left with a fresh memory of what you lost? I just couldn't do it.
> 
> But my two boys were FINALLY able to have a long overdue conversation, and all that's left is for them to heal and that's what I wanted to lead up to with their relationship.
> 
> As for Kaiba, I wanted to show once again that he is a very logical person and aware of the dynamics and intentions of others. He knows Aomine still has feelings for Kise, and knows that Kise also has feelings for Aomine even if he's in denial about it.
> 
> Of course it bothers him, he knows that he’s accepted Kise, and he doesn’t like that Kise would leave him for Aomine, because it’s a blow to his pride, and a very probable possibility considering the two still like each other.
> 
> But his pride also wouldn’t allow him to force Kise to stay with him. In a way, I think Kaiba would almost WANT Kise to choose Aomine, because it would reinforce his belief that he was meant to be alone and no one was meant to love him that way, and it was better to not have a weakness in his life.
> 
> But he would almost make it a point to let Kise be the one to choose, because he also doesn’t want to hurt and reject him.
> 
> So by Kise choosing to turn down Aomine's offer to pursue something with him, it probably meant more to him than he's willing to ever admit, and why he's willing to give Kise the time and respect he needs to fully get over Aomine.
> 
> Buttt, this fic is not over. We still have the conclusion of the Inter-High and a certain date to happen.


	41. Lesson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kise sets out to teach Yamakai an unforgettable lesson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly pet peeve about being a Kise fan is when I tell people he’s my favorite character and people are always quick to say “but he just copies everyone, he doesn’t have his own moves, it’s lame.”
> 
> I just wanna slap ya. Listen ya’ll, there is no such thing as “originality” in sports. Like, I’m pretty sure at this point, all moves have been “discovered”, not to mention sports are limited due to the rules of each of them, and the dynamics, and the space ect. The only difference in sports is the skill of the player, that they can do it faster, more efficiently, and just overall be a master of it(altered of course by dexterity too).
> 
> My boy Kise can literally do it all! He has the potential to immediately learn how a move is done and use it right away when it takes everyone years or months or whatever to perfect it!
> 
> Does that make him OP? Definitely, but you can’t honestly deny the pure skill that it takes to do what he can do. 
> 
> If that bothers you, you’re just a hater(take that as you will lol).
> 
> And don’t come at me with his personality either, because my baby Kise learns to fight for his team and is the one that most accepts Kuroko’s point of view. Before basketball, he only cared for sports for the challenge of it, and it got boring because no one could challenge him. But when it came to Kaijo his reason for wanting to win was more so to give Kaijo victory over his own pursuit of ‘entertainment’. Not to mention, I actually like Kise's darker side(it's not like he's kicking puppies or anything).
> 
> Also, he learns to love the sport just as much as Kagami and Aomine, so you can’t say he doesn’t share the same passion either.
> 
> Thanks for coming to my ted talk.
> 
> Now enjoy this chapter even if it's a little shorter than most, it just felt right as is. I'll review typos in the morning, I have a headache and need sleep lol.

The stands are at full capacity.

Everyone knows this is the last Inter-High of this caliber, the last time they will be able to see the Generation of Miracles as high school players. There is still the Winter Cup to look forward to of course, but it didn’t diminish the event.

The semi-final match ups were displayed on the many monitors around the court.

** _Kaijo vs. Yamakai_ **

** _Rakuzan vs. Yosen_ **

While Rakuzan and Yosen were standard finalists in the Inter-High, it was Kaijo and Yamakai that had shaken things up this year.

Kaijo because it was the first time they had been able to defeat Touo, and Yamakai because never before had they made it so far. Up until that year, they had been a pretty minor school, and everyone knew it was all thanks to the brand-new first year team. The fact that they had been able to defeat teams with even the Generation of Miracles however, garnered them immediate fame.

“Boy, this is rough…” Hachiro said with an exasperated sigh as they waited in the locker room before it was time to warm up.

“Can you believe those Yamakai guys are making us the bad guys? They’re already considered the underdogs so of course a lot of people are rooting for them to win.”

Some of their teammates chuckled.

“Well, they did proclaim they were going to dethrone all the schools with a member of the Generation of Miracles… and the fact that they made it this far is pretty impressive,” Ushio replied with a contemplative look on his face.

“Maybe, but even though they made it here they really only defeated Shutoku and Seirin, which isn’t even half of the Generation of Miracles. We defeated Touo, and Rakuzan and Yosen have the other members, which already means there’s two school they won’t be able to face… so is it _really_ that impressive?” Hachiro replied with an unenthused look on his face.

“Not to mention, Seirin shouldn’t even count since they don’t have Kagami anym-” Hachiro squeaked as he barely dodged a tube of deodorant heading his way, which made a loud clang as it hit the locker behind him and a testament to how hard it was thrown.

Hachiro turned to see an angry Kise fiercely glaring at him.

“Don’t you dare talk badly about Seirin! Kurokocchi is still a member of the Generation of Miracles and a more than capable player!”

Hachiro practically withered under Kise’s intense glare.

“You’re right! I’m sorry!” Hachiro quickly apologized, silently berating himself for forgetting how protective Kise was of his ex-teammates.

Kise huffed, his glower not leaving his face as he sat down on the bench.

“It doesn’t matter if we’re the good guys or the bad guys. I have a score to settle with that brat from Yamakai. We’re going to crush them. The inter-high is ours.”

The team straightened at the resolve in Kise’s words, surprised by the intense look on his usually cheerful face. It was the kind of expression that inspired confidence and obedience and spoke of the hidden and primal power that Kise held. It was the presence of an alpha, and everyone quickly fell in line and nodded their assent.

After all, Kise hadn’t forgotten how that small forward had dared to disrespect him. He was going to enjoy reminding him of his place.

* * *

Contrary to what Aomine believed, Kaijo had made sure to do their homework on their possible opponents, which meant that of course they had reviewed footage of Yamakai’s plays to know what strategies and movements to expect and prepare for.

They truly were impressive, and Kise could see how they had made it to the Inter-High while being first years and even defeated some members of the Generation of Miracles.

Still, Kise already knew that it wouldn’t be enough to take them n, and he doubted that they would have been able to defeat Touo either if Kaijo had lost.

Unfortunately for them, Kaijo was their opponent, and Kise already knew he would enjoy toying with them first.

As the teams walked onto the court to begin warming up, Kise rolled his shoulders in preparation. Rakuzan and Yosen would be playing after them, which meant they were the opening act.

That was okay, he would make sure to give everyone a good show.

“Yo, _senpai_!”

Kise felt his fingers twitch at the sound of the familiar voice, and Kise had to take a second to steel his expression as he turned around to look at the one who had spoken.

It was none other than Miura Kinji, the small forward of Yamakai High, looking at him with a serene smile that somehow managed to irk the hell out of Kise, even if he didn’t show it.

“Ah, it’s you,” Kise said dryly, not bothering with formalities.

Kinji’s smile only widened as he stood straight with his hands on his hips comfortably.

“We get to finally play!” he continued.

“So we do,” Kise said, crossing his arms in front of him.

It seemed that Kise’s disinterested air finally caused Kinji’s obviously crafted façade to disappear, so that instead, the younger boy smirked with an edge of malice.

“You’re not going to win, you know,” he said.

“Is that so?” Kise challenged.

“That’s right! The work we put in middle school was specifically so we could defeat all of the member of the Generation of Miracles. You’re just a copy of the others, and since we can stop all of them, we can easily stop _you_ too.”

Just a copy… Kise was seriously sick of hearing that from players that thought it was supposed to be an insult. Did they really think that’s all he was? A copy?

For the first time, Kise’s posture broke, and a smirk formed on his lips as he resisted the urge to laugh and placed a hand on his hip.

Kinji tried to ignore the shiver that ran up his spine as he looked at the glint in Kise’s eyes.

“Is that what you think? Well then… I look forward to seeing you try,” Kise began to turn around, intent on walking away and not wasting any more breath on the arrogant boy.

“Rakuzan’s captain tried to recruit us you know… that should tell you how good we are.”

Kise frowned, pausing in his steps as he considered this new piece of information.

“Really? You should have taken him up on his offer then. If you had, maybe you would have actually had a chance of winning today.”

* * *

Kaiba watched the game with interest.

It really was impressive that these players that moved so well were only first years. They had taken the lead in the first quarter by seven points.

The Tripe Threat had a dynamic that showed why the triplets were the core of the team. It was obvious they were completely in sync, their passes seamless and effective. It was as if one of the triplets was always exactly where they were needed to be to receive a pass what should have been an impossible pass, even if they weren’t quite there yet. It seemed bordering on precognition, the way they were able to move to the exact spot where a pass was making its way towards.

But it was more than just their teamwork… even individually the three brothers stood out. Number 10 for example, moved surprisingly like Aomine. He was agile, and capable of an interesting range of unorthodox shots that were normally only learned by players experienced with streetball. He wasn’t quite to the level that Aomine was, but he was certainly close.

Number 12, the shooting guard, had an exceptional range. So far, he had shown that he could even shoot as far as mid-court, and unlike Midorima’s high trajectory shots that seemed to last forever, they were swift and decisive, but still above the reach of most players that didn’t have a high-jumping range.

Number 14, the one that Kise seemed to especially dislike if Kaiba remembered correctly, was well rounded in all areas. He was incredibly agile, faster than the other two, had a superior dribbling ability, and was able to take shots from the inside and outside at the drop of a pin and depending on what the best option was.

Their defense was also impeccable, and when it seemed that a weakness was discovered on one of them, one of the others seemed to come in to cover for it.

And that was just the triplets, without the other players accounted for.

Their orange-haired captain was equally effective, had a wide view of the court at all times, and was quick enough on his feet that he knew exactly where to direct the ball and how to change their plays to counter whatever Kaijo brought next.

And lastly, their power forward was broadly built and had an excellent handle on the inside, capable of getting rebounds for his team with ease.

If Kaiba didn’t know any better, he might have thought Kise’s team was in trouble.

Unfortunately for the opposing team, Kise held grudges easily, and the beginning of the game was nothing but a ruse.

* * *

Despite their lead into the third quarter, Yamakai knew better than to get comfortable.

After all, they weren’t stupid, and they had seen what Kaijo’s ace had been capable in their last match against Touo. They had counted on Touo and Rakuzan being the ones that they would have to face in the finals, the ones that would give them the most trouble.

They had been as surprised as everyone when Kaijo was able to defeat Touo’s ace so soundly, and they knew from the first half of the game alone that Kise Ryota was nowhere near showing his true colors.

And really… it pissed them off more than anything.

It also had them on edge as they waited for the superhuman ability to show. Their skin prickled uncomfortably every time the ball came into Kise’s hands, and although he was formidable without his Perfect Copy, they couldn’t help but wonder _‘will he use it now?’_.

Even so, as their point gap increased, rather than feel accomplished, they only felt dread.

It was as if they were slowly being suffocated, as if the walls around them were closing in.

Kaijo certainly didn’t look unnerved by the increasing point gap between them either.

As the game continued, Kinji once more moved to his mark, and another sharp trill of dread seeped into his bones as he looked at Kise Ryota’s face. It was a chilling look, and Kinji resisted to urge to shiver.

“You know brat… something you said really bothered me earlier,” Kise suddenly said, an icy tinge to his voice.

Kinji frowned, but kept his focus on the game while still listening to what his opponent had to say.

“You said I’m just a copy.”

Kinji’s frown deepened.

“You are.”

Kise’s eyes darkened.

“There is no such thing as copies in sports…”

Kinji scoffed.

“There is only skill, and most players can only learn to be really good at one thing, and mediocre in others.”

Somewhere around them, the ball was passed.

“It’s not that I can copy others… even if it’s fun to make you think so.”

The ball was suddenly in Kise’s hands, and he began to position himself into a familiar stance and Kinji was on the move, ready to intercept.

“The simple truth is…”

The ball flew from Kise’s hands, Kinji just a fraction too late as it flew into the familiar high trajectory.

“There’s just nothing I _can’t_ do.”

The ball flew into the net, not even touching the rim as Kise looked down on his opponent with disdain.

Kinji felt his breath leave his body, and the feeling of walls closing in around him had never been stronger.

He tried to reign in the overwhelming fear that he suddenly felt, tried to stop his hands from shaking at the suddenly overpowering presence of the man before him.

“Y-you can only use your Perfect Copy for five minutes… that’s your limit…” Kinji said, desperate to get ahold of the situation.

The malicious grin that formed on Kise’s lips immediately shattered any bravado he was capable of.

“A limit you say?” Kise taunted, “I don’t know of such a thing…”

The buzzer sounded, and the teams began to return to their starting positions.

“I hope you enjoyed your points. You won’t get any more.”

Kinji looked at Kise’s retreating back with wide eyes.

He couldn’t be serious… could he? That was impossible… they were ahead by twenty points…

* * *

Kaiba smirked as he watched Kise and his team completely obliterate the opposing team. Kise needed only the rest of the third quarter to close the gap that Yamakai had gained during the course from the game, even managing to get ahead before the buzzer that signaled the end of the quarter sounded.

They were even more merciless in the final quarter, and no matter how hard Yamakai tried, they couldn’t score a single point, Kise stopping each and every attempt.

It was truly unreal, and had Kaiba not watched the game with his own eyes, he wouldn’t have believed it.

He could see the very moment when the fight died in Yamakai, but never once did Kise even consider mercy.

Kise Ryota truly was a monster… with the right motivation.

Kaiba would have to remember not to get on his bad side.

* * *

“Are you sure we didn’t go too far?” Hachiro asked as they made their way back to the lockers.

Takeshi sighed.

“Weren’t you the one talking badly about them before the game even started?” he countered.

Hachiro scratched his cheek, the frown and look of unease still on his face.

“Well yeah sure… but… that seemed a bit cruel.”

Several of their teammates sent Hachiro a pointed glare, before looking towards their ace as he walked ahead of the rest of them, seemingly unbothered as he stuffed his hands in his track pant pockets.

“If you want me to feel bad, it’s not going to happen. They asked for it,” Kise replied, and they could practically hear the pout on his voice.

“Jeez Kise … you sure can be mean sometimes,” Hachiro mumbled.

Kise only hummed.

“You just noticed? Just let it be a lesson… never get on my bad side.”

The rest of the team chuckled nervously.

“Aye aye.”

“Enough of that, we have to focus on the next match. I’m sure Rakuzan will win against Yosen like they usually do. We have to go over out game plan before then,” Takeshi said, his tone making everyone straighten and nod.

“Well Kise, any chance you have a grudge against your old captain? We could use that brutal side of yours,” Hachiro teased.

They all stopped when Kise suddenly halted, and they blinked in confusion as they watched a shudder go through Kise.

“Yeah… about that…” Kise chuckled nervously.

“It _might_ have been a mistake to go that hard against Yamakai… I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to hold out against Akashicchi after using up that much energy…”

The blood drained from his teammates faces.

_“WHAT!?”_

* * *

Kaiba got Kise’s text twenty minutes after his game ended, asking him to meet him at some obscure location.

After telling Mokuba he would be back in a bit, Kaiba followed Kise’s instructions.

Rakuza’s game against Yosen was ongoing, and Rakuzan had a considerable lead. As impressive as the purple-haired giant that was Yosen’s own member of the Generation of Miracles was, it seemed the much smaller captain of the opposing team was all it took to render his defense useless with his so called ‘ankle-breaks’.

Akashi Seijuro truly was a formidable player. It would be an interesting match to see him go up against Kise. He could already tell that he was barely tapping into his full potential during this match.

Kise’s instruction led him to the fifth floor of the building, which looked eerily empty as Kaiba walked down its halls. It wasn’t surprising, since everyone would be watching the match, and he could only guess as to why Kise would have him come all the way here.

Seeing the number of the room that Kise had told him he’d be in, Kaiba checked both sides of the hallway to make sure no one was coming before turning the handle and walking in.

Out of the corner of his, he saw motion, and the next thing he knew he was pressed up against the wall next to the door with a brightly smiling blonde hovering over him.

Before Kaiba could even berate the blonde on manhandling him, Kise pressed his whole body against his and crashed his lips against his.

This boy was lucky his kisses were so intoxicating, otherwise he wouldn’t indulge them as much as he did. As it was, Kaiba easily found himself returning and deepening the kiss, his fingers digging into Kise’s hips as he swept his tongue into his mouth.

In no time, Kise was breathing hard against him, his hands trailing underneath his shirt in a way that caused Kaiba to groan and pull away.

“Should we really be doing this here?” Kaiba asked as he tried to reign in his lust and not get dragged back into the blond at the flushed and desperate look of his face.

Kise was having none of it as his hands continued to feel along Kaiba’s torso under his shirt, and seeing that Kaiba wasn’t kissing him, made his neck the target of his lips.

Kaiba could only crane his neck to allow the blonde to shamelessly ravage his neck with his skilled lips and tongue.

“Let me guess, absolutely crushing that brat and his team did this to you?” Kaiba pondered, and was surprised when Kise actually paused in his assault.

“Hmm, that might be part of it…”

Kise’s voice was husky and breathless, and it shouldn’t have made Kaiba shiver like it did and send a jolt of desire straight to his groin.

“But mostly I just really want to feel you.”

Kise’s eyes were hooded and his eyes shone with lust, and as if to accentuate his words, his hand under his shirt began to trail lower, so that Kise’s finger slipped just beneath the waistband of his boxers.

“And taste you…”

Kise’s tongue languidly made its way up the side of Kaiba’s neck, causing the brunette to shiver.

“And kiss you…”

Kise’s lips descended on Kaiba’s again, and this time, Kaiba was helpless as he once more kissed back.

“The finals are in an few hours…” Kaiba breathlessly reminded him as Kise’s hand slipped even lower, brushing against the head of his hardening member and causing Kaiba to groan into their kiss.

“_Please_ Kaibacchi… I _need_ this.”

Kaiba couldn’t even try to rationalize what Kise was thinking as the heady tone of his voice washed over him and the blonde pressed even closer to him, his hand unzipping his pants to be able to better rub his full erection.

“I don’t have a condom or lube with me…” Kaiba said, his own hands now travelling to grip Kise’s backside, silently pleased that his track pants made it easier to grab onto him.

Kise grinned against his lips, and Kaiba knew he had undoubtedly lost this game he hadn’t even agreed on playing.

“I do.”

Kise’s hand paused in its ministrations on Kaiba as his other hand reached into the pocket of his pants, only to pull out a small bottle that Kise then nudged against Kaiba’s hand.

With an amused chuckled, Kaiba grabbed the offered bottle of lube and gave Kise one last passionate kiss before turning them around so that the blonde had his chest against the wall and his back to him.

Kise moaned loudly as he felt Kaiba’s hardness grind against him.

“I didn’t know you could be so shameless…” Kaiba said lowly, his own lust making him harshly pull Kise’s hips backwards while his hand remained firm on his back so that the blond was partly bent over and holding himself by the hands against the wall.

Kise didn’t even try to hide his desperation as he pressed up against Kaiba even harder, his panting audible in Kaiba’s ears.

“Heh… just wait till we start using toys…” Kise gasped back, and Kaiba felt his cock practically twitch at his words.

Something else stirred in Kaiba at the implication of Kise’s words, the way they promised a future of _more_ moments like this.

“Now hurry up and start prepping… I don’t want to be _too_ sore for the finals…”

Kaiba scoffed.

“You have some nerve ordering me around when _you’re_ the one desperate for this.”

Kise made a mewling sound as Kaiba nevertheless slipped off his pants, shorts, and boxers in one fluid motion, the coolness of the air making goosebumps rise along his pale skin as Kaiba took the time to admire the sight before him.

“Did I not satisfy you enough last night?”

Images of the night before flashed through both their minds. After spending some time with the Kaiba brothers at the hotel they were staying at, Kaiba had dropped Kise off back at his apartment, only for Kise to convince him to stay a bit longer that inadvertently led to a few rounds of sex before Kaiba could convince Kise to go to sleep so he would be well rested for the games he had the following day.

Kise moaned when Kaiba slipped a lubed-up finger into him. It went in easy, perhaps still a bit stretched from the night before.

“M-more than satisfied… I’m pretty sure that’s the reason why—_hnng_— I was able to play so well today.”

Kaiba raised an eyebrow, slipping in another finger and working them into the blonde, the throbbing of his cock increasing from all the sounds the blonde was making and the way he clenched against his fingers.

“Full disclosure…” Kise gasped out.

“I might have—_ah_!—used too much energy to teach that brat a lesson—_mmngh_—and I need you to—_fuck_— re-energize me…”

Kaiba stilled behind him, and Kise was about to whine impatiently when the sound died in his throat when he felt Kaiba begin to shake behind him.

Concerned, Kise turned his head to look at the brunette, only for his eyes to widen and his stomach to drop at the sight.

Kaiba’s free hand had flown to his mouth, and before his very eyes, Kaiba began to _laugh_.

It wasn’t the condescending or taunting laugh or chuckle that Kise had heard from Kaiba before, the kind that seemed to come natural and the only kind that Kise had thought Kaiba to be capable of.

This was a _genuine_ laugh, and Kise’s jaw went slack as Kaiba couldn’t contain his laughter, his fingers slipping out of him so that Kaiba could clutch at his sides and he doubled over, their compromising position completely forgotten as the laughter overtook him, and Kise felt his heart skip a beat at the sight.

Kaiba’s seemingly permanent scowl had all but disappeared as his eyebrows shot up instead, his smile wide and lips turned up as even tears gathered in the corner of his eyes.

Kise couldn’t even find it in himself to be embarrassed to be the reason that Kaiba was laughing, too busy looking at the brunette with awe as something warm and intense filled his chest.

Kaiba couldn’t even form words, but finally seemed to realize what he was doing, because he visibly tried to reign in his laughter, but one glance at Kise made him lose it all over again, and this time the brunette had to maneuver himself to lean against the wall for support as he became breathless from the bout of laughter that overtook him.

Kise blinked, his own lips quirking up.

After a moment of his laughter dying down, Kaiba forced himself to take in a deep breath and steel himself, his face once more returning to its practiced neutral expression with only a slight grimace and mild look of discomfort as he opened his eyes to look at Kise, only for the blonde to immediately invade his space as he looked at him with a look of wonder.

“Do that again!” Kise eagerly demanded, his eyes shining brightly.

Kaiba felt heat settle on his cheeks as his eyebrow twitched, and his hand reached out to cover the blonde’s obnoxious face as a wave of embarrassment flooded over him and he covered his face with his other hand.

“Idiot…” Kaiba grumbled out, “Who told you to say stupid things…”

Kise could only grin as he gently pried Kaiba’s hand from his face so he could look at the bashful look on his face despite trying to hide it from him.

Kise giggled, intertwining his fingers with Kaiba’s as he pulled himself closer, enjoying the way that Kaiba’s cheeks reddened even more from what he could see between the gaps of his slender fingers.

“I’ll say stupid things all day if it means you’ll laugh like that again…” Kise whispered, his other hand reaching for Kaiba’s other hand and pulling it away to reveal his face to him.

Kaiba glanced away from him, and Kise felt his heart flutter with adoration.

“Shut up…” Kaiba muttered, his usual edge all but gone as his blue eyes softened just slightly.

Kise chuckled, before placing a soft peck on Kaiba’s cheek.

“Hm… you know what? I think that laugh did the trick.”

Kaiba’s answering glare didn’t even faze him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen ya'll, I don't know what's up with me today, the second half of this chapter was completely unplanned and just like... happened??
> 
> BUT CAN WE APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT KISE WOULD ABSOLUTELY SAY SOMETHING COMPLETELY UNINTENTIONALLY RIDICULOUS THAT WOULD MAKE KAIBA GENUINELY LAUGH ONLY TO BE UTTERLY EMBARRASSED THAT HE DID SOMETHING AS HUMAN AND LOWLY AS LAUGH WHEN ITS NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF SOMEONE ELSE
> 
> And so their first inside joke was born.


	42. A Battle of Kings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The deciding battle for the Inter-high.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is all about Kise. I like it as is and didn't feel the need to expand it any more. Which means; short and sweet. 
> 
> Next chapter is the last, and I already wrote the Epilogue after that and like... wow. I can't believe I'm practically done with this fic. Honestly it gets me a little emotional haha.

Kise felt as refreshed as he hoped after his time with Kaiba, and he didn’t even bother to feel guilty once he finally rejoined his team a little later than planned. 

They still had time before the finals would start, and as they expected, Rakuzan rose victorious over Yosen. 

With a captain like Akashi Seijuro, victory was almost assured. Like the rest of them, Akashi had only become stronger, especially after completing his Emperor Eye during the game against Jabberwock. 

This year, however, was the first year that Akashi led his team without the Uncrowned Kings on his roster. 

Of course, that meant little when Akashi himself was the one to recruit the members that would replace them, and as expected of Akashi’s ability to see talent and potential, those who replaced the Uncrowned Kings were just as talented, if not more. 

The fact that his team made it to the finals said everything that there was to be said, and Kise began to feel the weight of the task he was about to undertake. 

It was one thing to finally face and defeat his rival, and another to face someone like Akashi Seijuro. 

Akashi was known to be unstoppable for a reason. His command of his teammates and his ability to create perfect plans and counterattacks added a deadly arsenal to his already incredible skill of the sport. Add in his Emperor eye that gave him a full court view of teammates and opponents that could predict their next moves, it was no wonder his team had won the majority of the tournaments. 

And while they had done their best to review the games of Rakuzan’s new team, Kise didn’t doubt that Akashi had plenty of plays hidden up his sleeve. He knew enough about Akashi’s strategies that he would leave his best plays for the finals, most likely ones he hadn’t needed to use until then. Would Kise be able to handle what Akashi brought against him? 

Kise shook his head. 

Of course he would. It wasn’t just him either. He was part of a team, and Kaijo would not fall. 

They had their own plays up their sleeves, ones that they had also been saving just for then. 

Losing was not an option. 

* * *

The air was still as they walked onto the court to warm up. 

Kise felt his heart begin to race with excitement and anticipation, and as soon as he set his gaze on the opposing team, his gaze was immediate drawn to the gaze of his former captain. 

Those red eyes called to him, and Kise straightened as he made his way towards the redhead. 

Akashi had grown a few inches since they began high school, although the sudden growth spurt had affected his plays for a bit during their second year. It was something they had found amusing to tease their former captain about as his body struggled to get used to the added height, much to his chagrin. 

Now however, the extra inches had only helped him. 

As Kise closed the distance between them, Akashi smiled gently at the blond, although there was an edge to his eyes. 

“Kise, congratulations on making it to this point.” 

Kise also smiled. 

“Thank you, Akashicchi. It looks like we’ll finally be able to have our match. Sorry to have kept you waiting for so long.” 

Akashi chuckled. 

“Indeed, I am glad to see that you have finally tapped into your full potential. I always knew that my ultimate challenge would be against you. Your potential and growth have always been impressive, and although I expected our inevitable match to happen sooner, I am pleased you have overcome the block that hindered you.” 

Kise blinked, not expecting the words that Akashi was telling him then and there. 

“W-wait... Akashicchi... what are you saying?” 

This time, Akashi smirked, the kind that reminded him of when Akashi’s darker side was in control. 

“It has been a long time coming, Ryota. You see, you were never meant to be like the other members of the Generation of Miracles. You are like me. With the power to dominate and crush all those before you. You understand that now, do you not?” 

Kise frowned, once more trying to understand what Akashi meant by his words, but then, realization hit him and his eyes widened. 

Akashi was right. He _ was _like him. Had he not undergone what he did, and met Gilgamesh, he wouldn’t have understood. 

Kise never saw himself as a leader, didn’t care for the weight or responsibility of it. But now he understood that he certainly had the _ potential _for it. He had been a King in a past life, although from the sounds of it, he had not started out as a very good one. He wondered if perhaps that was why he was against the idea of being a leader in his current life. Still, the way that Priest Seto spoke of Gilgamesh, it certainly sounded like he could be a good King when he set his mind to it. But a King wasn’t just about leadership, a King was about having absolute power, inspiring awe and confidence in those that followed him, and rising above all opponents. 

And hadn’t he shown that in his games against Touo and Yamakai? Just how brutal and relentless he could be? 

Akashi had never been ashamed of his tactics, because although they might have come off as cold to anyone watching, he was able to choose the most efficient strategies, without consideration to the feelings of those that he might use. And while it certainly was a fine line between being a tyrant and king, Kuroko’s efforts had reminded him of the difference, because a tyrant would lose the very people that also made him a King. 

Akashi had discovered that balance their first year, and now, it was Kise’s turn to do the same. 

After all, although the rest of the Generation of Miracles were just as skilled, they lacked what it took to be a King. Aomine lacked the leadership, Murasakibara the willpower and larger understanding. As for Midorima... Kise could actually see Midorima having the skill and drive to reach the title. After all, he was the Captain of Shutoku, and hopefully their loss against Yamakai would ignite the fire that Midorima needed. 

The realization caused Kise to chuckle. 

“Yes... I understand. It really means a lot to hear that from you. I’ve always admired your ability to lead, and it’s honestly really flattering to hear you say you see me as your ultimate challenge. I promise, in this match, I will prove to you the strength of my resolve. _Our _resolve.” 

Akashi smiled. 

“I am looking forward to answering your challenge.” 

* * *

If Kise had thought going up against Aomine was hard, going up against Akashi and his team seemed three times harder. It took everything in his power to keep up, especially knowing that Akashi was calculative, and even when it looked that they were holding their own, Akashi always had something else that would turn the tides. 

Still... as Kise watched his teammates, watched them bring out the best of themselves, and never once falter against their opponents that many would say were more skilled, Kise couldn’t be prouder. 

Yes, it was true that Akashi’s teammates might be more physically skilled than many of his own. But it didn’t matter, because Kise would make up for that difference in skill with his own. 

He would give it his all, because this match wasn’t about him. 

No, that match had already passed. 

This match was about his team. 

It was about Kaijo, and giving them the title of champions that he had failed to do in previous years as the Ace. 

* * *

Kise thinks he might actually die from this game. 

His muscles ache, his lungs burn, and his head feels foggy. The pressure is heavy, with two minutes on the board and seven points behind. 

Despite it all, he can see and _feel _the determination of his teammates around him. 

He has already gone into the Zone with Perfect Copy, and while it had certainly done the job of closing the gap between them, it had all but drained his stamina, and he was running on fumes. 

But his team hadn’t given up. 

_ He _hadn’t given up. 

And as long as they didn’t give up, they could still win. 

* * *

The tide changes when there are only 40 seconds left on the clock. 

Kise forces himself into the zone again, and this time, he is able to see what he had only heard about before. 

The second door that Kagami had managed to open during their first year, the door that no one else had been able to open since. 

But his resolve to win alongside his team is stronger than ever, and he opens the door. 

Once more, Akashi is powerless against the direct drive zone, and in those last 30 seconds, Kise is able to score a buzzer beater with a three and an unbelievable pass from Takeshi. 

Once more, Kise feels tears run down his face. 

Only this time, its tears of joy as his teammates once more converge around him and they fall to the ground. 

His legs stop working by then, but his teammates are more than happy to help carry him as they bow to the opposing team. 

Akashi gives him a resigned smile, but he is pleased with the results. 

“I look forward to the Winter Cup.” 

There is a promise in his red eyes, and Kise can only smile and nod, his eyes shining with determination. 

Yes, the Winter Cup would be even more challenging. 

* * *

Kise is surprised to be greeted by someone he didn't expect as the team gathered in the locker rooms.

Tears unexpectedly gather in his eyes as he stares at the familiar face.

They still keep in touch once in a while, but the distance between them and college has meant that Kise hasn't seen him in years.

"Kasamatsu-senpai..." the wonder in his voice is unmistakable, and his former captain just grins as he approaches him and ruffles his hair.

"You did great out there."

A large grin forms on his lips, and Kise practically throws himself at his former dark-haired captain.

Kasamatsu sighs, and for once, lets the blond do as he pleases.

After all, he earned it.


	43. Forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kise gives Kaiba the date he deserves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well guys... here we are... the final chapter to this story. Now that Kise's goals have been accomplished and he's gotten the closure he needed with Aomine and his rivals... it's time to tackle the impenetrable fortress that is Seto Kaiba.
> 
> With Kaiba... I set out to do the impossible, and find a way to completely and utterly bare his soul and reach deeeeeeeeeep into his heart for what we all know is inside him, and who better than to do it but our Ace Kise Ryota?
> 
> I really like the chemistry between these two boys. I really think they would just have such a playful relationship and their interactions honestly just came so naturally that it made me so happy to have given writing this rarepair a chance.
> 
> This chapter was meant to be pretty heartfelt and emotional and I hope I was able to do that.
> 
> Ahh my heart!
> 
> Two songs to listen to for this chapter near the end if interested:  
Let Me- ZAYN  
Forever(feat. Elohim)- Laxcity Remix- Ekali, Medasin, Elohim, Laxcity

Kise enlists the help of Momoi to help him plan his date with Kaiba, and told the brunette that he would give him the date as soon as he knows.

After all, he had a lot of homework and planning to do, and it wouldn’t come easy.

As Momoi sat across from him with a yellow legal pad on his dinner table, she tapped the pencil against her temple in a pensive manner.

“Kichan, why are you working so hard for this guy? You already know he likes you, he probably wouldn’t mind whatever date you took him on,” Momoi commented.

Kise grinned, his laptop open in front of him while still giving him a view of his pink-haired friend.

“True. But this is Kaibacchi. Ice Prince _extraordinaire_. It’s not like he has any dating experience to compare it to... but... I just want to show him what I’m willing to do for him. I don’t think he’s ever had anyone aside from his brother really do much for him... and considering the way he grew up... I guess I just want to show him that _he’s_ _worth it_.”

Momoi blinked as she looked at her blond friend, and smiled at the look on Kise’s face.

Boy, he had it bad.

“You really like him, huh?” Momoi teased, leaning against her head and smiling wider when Kise’s cheeks colored.

“Yeah... I really do Momocchi...”

Momoi smiled warmly.

“He’s a lucky guy then...”

If Kise didn’t know what he did about Momoi, he would have missed the forlorn edge to her voice, and instinctually knew why. His eyes lowered at the thought.

“How is Aominecchi?” Kise asked, feeling it only right to ask.

Momoi smiled sadly, her gaze also lowering to the legal pad on the table.

“He’s been training hard all week. It’s almost impossible to get him to stop, which I've never had a problem with before.”

Kise frowned.

“You must be worried... sorry to put that on your plate. I know you were hoping we might get back together...”

Momoi’s eyes widened with surprise as she looked at Kise.

“No... Kichan... none of this is your fault. I mean... yes a part of me was hoping that Daichan would just talk about it with you, and it’s not like I didn’t try to get him to... but he’s so stubborn... and I had to respect what he wanted. But... the fact of the matter is... things happened the way they did... and I can see that you’re serious about Kaiba. He makes you happy, and that’s what matters. Daichan knows that too… he just needs time.”

Momoi paused, a gentle smile on her lips.

“And besides... I know it isn’t easy for you either... so in a way... it makes me happy that your relationship meant something, and that you’re being respectful to Daichan. It's the best thing I can ask for, and I respect it.”

Kise was finally able to smile as he met Momoi’s sincere gaze and nodded.

“Thanks, Momocchi. That helps. And thank you, for being such a good friend to both Aominecchi and me. It means a lot to me.”

Momoi smiled, and nodded, the warmth and excitement back in her eyes.

“So... where were we... recipes... I know just the person to ask!”

Kise grinned and nodded.

By the time they finished, the sun was beginning to set, but Kise was satisfied with his game plan. As he walked Momoi to the train station, he hummed happily as he thought about what came next.

“You know Kichan... I’m a little worried for Kaiba.”

Kise blinked as he looked at Momoi.

“What do you mean?”

Momoi giggled, and whatever nerves were beginning to form in the pit of his stomach disappeared at the cheerful laugh.

“You might ruin him for anyone else with a date like this one.”

Kise grinned and winked.

“That’s the plan.”

* * *

Kise decided that two weeks would be enough time to do what he needed to do in preparation of the date, and it was with a racing heart that he texted Kaiba the details.

**20:02**

**I have the date. Two weeks from today, 1800 sharp. It’ll be at my apartment, and bring your favorite wine. **

It wasn’t long before Kaiba’s response arrived.

**Kaibacchi 20:04**

**If your idea of date is just sex at your place, I’ll be disappointed.**

Kise smiled at the reply.

**20:05**

**I mean... not that I’m against that idea. But I have a bit more in mind. You won’t be disappointed, it’s a promise!**

Once more, his reply came quickly.

**Kaibacchi 20:06**

**I’ll hold you to it.**

* * *

_"Ok so listen... this is what you have to do.”_

Kaiba sighed as he leaned his head against his hand and listened to the voice of his brother coming from his earpiece.

“How is it you even know about this?”

Mokuba chuckled.

_“Kise told me, of course. And since you’ve never been on a date, I thought you might like some advice.”_

Kaiba frowned.

“You two are far too close for my liking.”

_“Hey! May I remind you that technically he was **my **friend first? You, brother, are dating my friend, which may I also remind you, you did not tell me about for a long time.”_

Kaiba felt his eyebrow twitch.

“We are not... _dating_.”

_“**Yet**_._ Anyway... you absolutely have to dress up, I will force Roland to make you do it if I have to. Bring flowers, or chocolate. Hell, bring both. Also, wear cologne to smell nice.”_

“Are we done?”

_“Absolutely not. This is a date. Remember, it’s normal to be nervous, but that doesn’t mean you can back out of it. I will kill you if you cancel.”_

“I grow weary of being threatened by my little brother. Besides, what’s there to be nervous about? It’s nothing we haven’t done already.”

This time, Mokuba sighed, and was that pity Kaiba heard in the sound?

_“And that, dear brother, is where you’re wrong. You probably don’t know this, but people usually go on dates in the hopes of getting sex later. You and Kise have already done the deed. Which means this date is way more than about getting to know each other and getting into each other’s pants. You’ve already done that. This is about taking things a step further.”_

Kaiba once more felt the embarrassing heat on his cheeks that had been happening far too often as of late.

“Are we really having this conversation?”

_“Absolutely! I know you Seto, and I don’t want you to mess this up because you’re scared. This is your chance to form something special, and I know you care about Kise, so don’t even think about purposely screwing things up!”_

Kaiba had to resist the urge to massage his temples at what he knew to be a headache coming on.

“Believe me, that is the furthest thing from my mind.”

The words were out of his mouth before he realized what he said, and there was a moment of silence from the other end of the line, and Kaiba wondered if perhaps they had been disconnected.

But only a moment later, Mokuba replied.

_“Good. It makes me happy to hear that.”_

Ten minutes later, after a few more exchanged words between them, Kaiba was glad to be getting back to work, a welcomed distraction from the thoughts and feelings that were gradually increasing when it came to a certain blonde and the event that would soon take place.

Only for his phone to once more alert him of an incoming call.

_Yugi Mutou._

With a flat greeting, Kaiba answered.

_“So... I hear you’re going on a date.”_

For the love of the Egyptian Gods... Kaiba was absolutely going to kill someone.

* * *

Kise already checked everything at least three times, moved a few things a few times, only to move them back to where they had first been. Momoi came by earlier to help him with a majority of the decorations while he prepped the food.

He told Kaiba to tell him when he left so he could time everything just right, so that meant that with Kaiba only fifteen minutes away, Kise was rushing to change into his carefully chosen outfit for the evening after putting together the plates for dinner to make sure he didn’t get it dirty.

Kise had chosen a gray button up and blue tie, a tan V-neck sweater just deep enough to show his button up and tie and rolled up to his elbows to show the cuffs of the undershirt, and paired it with dark blue pants and tan boots. As Kise ran his hands through his hair until he was satisfied in front of the mirror, he proceeded to continue to set the table.

* * *

Kaiba decided to listen to his brother and stop at a flower shop on the way to Kise’s apartment, perhaps because of that unnerving feeling that had been gradually increasing in the pit of his stomach for what felt like a week now, and it was as good as any reason to postpone the inevitable.

_It’s okay to be nervous._

Kaiba scoffed as he remotely locked his car and made for the direction of the flower shop and Mokuba’s words rang in his mind. Was this was being nervous felt like? It felt like there was something squirming in his stomach, and he hated it.

He had never had a reason to be nervous, everything he did was done with purpose and confidence. Even when it came to duel monsters, apprehension was the closest thing he could place to this feeling. It unnerved him in ways nothing ever had before, and he didn’t even know where to begin to understand. His natural instinct was to ignore the feeling, and simply focus on the facts of the matter.

He was going to see Kise, who he hadn’t seen in almost three weeks since the Inter-High, to the insistence of the blonde himself. He said their date would feel more _special _if they didn’t see each other until then, and while Kaiba had scoffed into the phone call, he couldn’t find it in him to complain. Even though Kise _had _needed to make a trip to Domino as part of one of the first rehearsals for his part in the tournament, and it had taken more willpower than Kaiba liked to admit to keep from intercepting the blonde while he had been so close. The fact that he felt his absence and the strong desire to be close to him made Kaiba squirm with yet another emotion he didn’t care to name.

And while he didn’t know the details of what Kise had planned, he trusted the blonde enough that he knew it wasn’t something to be worried about. They would most likely eat, and have some sex, like they often tended to do when they spent time together.

Those were the simple facts, so what was there to be _nervous _about?

_This is your chance to form something special._

Kaiba felt his steps falter, just as he opened the door to the small business, the ding of the bell above him alerting those inside of his presence.

Kaiba’s gaze swept the small building, his senses immediately assaulted by the myriad of colors from the flowers around him. He was surprised that the smell of the place was not overpowering, like he thought it would be. The smells were overall pleasant, with earthy tones, more like a tingle on his sense of smell. He also didn’t see any other customers in the store.

Still, Kaiba felt out of his element. He didn’t even know where to start. Should he just grab the first thing that was within reach and finish the task?

As his gaze settled on a random arrangement of flowers, movement to his left caught his attention, and he turned to see an older lady with wrinkles and gray hair smiling warmly at him.

“Hello, young man. My you look handsome; can I help you in picking the perfect flowers for your special someone?”

Kaiba felt himself frown and found himself at a loss for words as he debated his options.

Surely, the shop keeper would have a better handle of choosing something like flowers than he did... and it simply wouldn’t be fair that Kise had put time and effort into their so-called date only for Kaiba to lamely pick the gift Mokuba insisted he get.

“I suppose so...”

The shop-keeper's smile widened, a knowing look in her eyes as she regarded him.

“You know, picking the perfect flowers is not easy, but worth the effort. You see, flowers have a language, and it’s a beautiful way to convey what you can’t always with words.”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at the woman, unsure of what she was trying to say with her cryptic words.

“So, young man... what would you like the flowers to say? I’m sure it is much easier telling an old woman like me than it is to tell the special person these are for. After all, you’ll likely never see me again, unless of course, you’re satisfied with my work and plan to return.”

Kaiba wasn’t sure what to say. Language of flowers? How idiotic... how many people would know what flowers said when receiving them? He doubted Kise knew what they would mean... still...

Kaiba looked away from the woman and to a random arrangement of yellow flowers that caught his eye.

“I guess... I would say I find him radiant, and beautiful. I admire his strength, determination, and loyalty. I would thank him for him compassion, and his trust. I would say I enjoy having him in my life, and for once, I’d like him to be someone to stay, for as long as he wants.”

Kaiba could feel that embarrassing heat on his cheeks.

The old woman’s smile remained.

“What a beautiful message. Give me just one moment.”

* * *

Kaiba was late.

He was going to absolutely kill him.

So much for punctuality... and now the food was getting cold, and Kise’s anxiety was through the roof, and he couldn’t stop pacing around the apartment.

Checking the watch on his wrist once more, Kise had to resist the urge to huff as he saw that it was twenty five minutes past the scheduled time, and Kise made a silent promise to himself that if Kaiba was not there in the next two minutes, he was going to cancel the date and lock Kaiba out of his apartment forever.

Unfortunately for Kise, it was five minutes before his doorbell rang, and despite his annoyance and anger, his heart still faltered before speeding up at the sound. He took one last look around the room, checking to see that everything was in place, before he approached the door, a frown on his face and a pout on his lips.

Kise was ready to unleash his wrath on Kaiba and give him a piece of his mind, but the words died in his throat as he took in the sight of the brunette as he opened the door.

He felt his heart stop as he took in the sight of the man in front of him, his eyes traveling from the beautiful bouquet of flowers in his hand to his person, unsure of what to look at first, both just as eye-catching.

Still, Kise’s gaze settled on Kaiba.

He was dressed up for the occasion, a pair of white pants and black belt with a tucked in light blue button-up shirt with the top two buttons undone. He wore a navy blue blazer that brought out his eyes, which were further accented by the fact that Kaiba had actually styled his hair... like he had done when they had taken a shower together and Kise had made a mention of liking how it looked slicked back.

“Sorry I’m late... getting the flowers took longer than I thought.”

There was a dust of pink on his cheeks, and Kise could make out the look of barely concealed embarrassment and guilt on his face, which caused heat to rush to his own cheeks at the romantic gesture.

“It’s okay... thank you, they’re beautiful.”

Kise reached for the flowers, one of his hands brushing against Kaiba’s as he took them from him, causing a shiver to run up his arm.

“I also brought the wine,” Kaiba said, and Kise noticed for the first time the bag that was in Kaiba’s other hand.

Kise pouted, his gaze raking over the different kinds of flowers that melded so well together before looking back at Kaiba.

“So not fair Kaibacchi…I was so mad at you for being late just a minute ago… and then you just show up looking so… _perfect_…” Kise sighed, his finger caressing a petal gently.

Kaiba looked at Kise in silence for a moment, before he finally stepped forward and closed the door behind him, placing the bag in his hand on the table next to the door before turning back to Kise.

“You look pretty good yourself…” Kaiba said as he reached out with his hand to cup the side of Kise’s face, his thumb gently stroked Kise’s cheek, all the while he was filled with pride at the light flush of his face as he leaned into the touch.

Kise stepped forward, mindful of the flowers as he leaned towards Kaiba so that their faces were closer.

“You even did your hair…are you sure this is the first date you’ve been on?” Kise asked incredulously as he eyed the brunette.

Kaiba’s lips quirked up.

“I guess it doesn’t show when you have an overly invested little brother…”

Kise’s eyes widened, before an airy laugh escaped his lips, and Kaiba felt that squirming in his stomach increase at the sight of the blonde’s face brightening, even more so when he leaned even closer so that he was only inches away from him.

Kaiba felt that familiar warmth fill his chest at the feel of Kise’s proximity, the pleasant scent of his cologne, and the way his laughter sounded to his ears. He had forgotten how having the blonde in front made him feel, and he was now filled with the overwhelming desire to touch him more, feel him, and taste him.

Kaiba leaned in further and tilted his head as he approached the tantalizing pink lips of the man in front of him, his eyes hooded with desire as Kise’s gaze strayed to his own lips, and his eyes softened as his lips pressed against his.

Kise suddenly felt lightheaded as Kaiba kissed him, the kiss soft and tender, as if Kaiba’s lips were taking their time to remember what it felt like to press and move against his.

Kise pulled away before they could get carried away and bit his lip as Kaiba huffed with displeasure.

“I’ve missed you…” Kise whispered, his free hand trailing down Kaiba’s arm to gently intertwine his fingers with his.

Kaiba looked into Kise’s sincere eyes, felt that warmth in his chest increase at his easy admission, before leaning in once more, only for Kise to turn away and dodge his lips.

“Seriously?”

Kise chuckled.

“The food is getting colder, since you decided to be _late_.”

Kise grinned before pulling away from Kaiba, sending a flirty gaze his way as he began to walk in the direction of where Kaiba remembered the kitchen to be.

“That’s what microwaves are for.”

Kise sent a glare in Kaiba’s direction, and Kaiba couldn’t help but think even glaring this man looked far too attractive.

“I did _not_ want to microwave the food I spent all day prepping and making,” Kise replied, and Kaiba once more felt that sharp pang of guilt he did when he realized he was going to be late.

“You made it yourself?” Kaiba asked, his eyes widening slightly when he saw what Kise had done to the dining area.

The room was completely different than how Kaiba remembered from the last time he had been there. If he hadn’t known any better, he would have thought that he had walked into a private room in a restaurant, from the way that Kise had transformed it.

The table was covered with a white tablecloth with a black accent cloth down the middle, where several white candles were placed unlit, and rose petals meticulously strewn around the candles. The plates and silverware were carefully and beautifully set, with what looked like a small arrangement of flowers on each plate, and wine and water glasses beside them.

Kise had also dimmed the lights that added to the elegant ambiance.

Not to mention, now that Kaiba wasn’t distracted by the blonde beauty in front of him, he could actually smell the food, and this time, his stomach actually churned with a newly awoken appetite.

“Of course, you think I would order take out for our big date?” Kise teased with a pout, and Kaiba once more wanted to pull him to him and kiss him senseless.

Kaiba watched as Kise found a vase for the flowers and gently put them in after filling it with water and took notice of the gentle smile on his lips as he admired the bouquet. Perhaps he would return to that flower shop after all…

Once finished with the task, Kise once more made his way over to him, and Kaiba was pleased when the blonde pulled him in for a kiss, even if it was brief, and Kise’s arms remained around his neck as he pulled back.

“I figured this would be nice, since we’re trying to be discreet about everything. Plus, it sounded fun trying to learn to cook something new that would please the palate of a rich and spoiled CEO.”

Kaiba did not look amused at Kise’s jab, even if Kise himself laughed and placed a light kiss on his lips.

“Besides, I like the thought of it just being the two of us, a nice and private affair.”

This time, Kaiba hummed in approval, and Kise had to once more reluctantly pull away from the brunette.

“So, while I heat up the food, be a good boy and get the wine.”

Kaiba couldn’t even find it in himself to be annoyed to be ordered around by the blonde, and simply did as he was told and made his way back to the entrance where he had left the bag of wine to retrieve. He brought his own opener in case Kise didn’t have one, had chosen two of his favorite Sangiovese bottles, and had even brought a decanter.

He busied himself with pouring and serving the wine, and by the time he was done, Kise had lit the candles, removed the plates, and replaced them full of steaming food on the table.

“Voila! Your favorite, filet mignon with foie gras sauce.”

Kaiba was surprised to see the delicately put together plate, with a side of greens, mushrooms, and mashed potatoes.

It smelled delectable, which explained the proud grin on Kise’s face.

As Kaiba sat down, he looked curiously at Kise.

“How did you know this is one of my favorite dishes?” he asked as Kise poured some water into their second glass next to the wine.

Kise grinned as he sat down and folded his hands in front of him.

“A little birdie told me.”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes.

“Is this going to be my life now? You and my little brother teaming up against me?”

This time, Kise’s smile softened as he leaned against his hands.

“That depends… do you want it to be?”

The warmth that laced Kise’s voice made that squirming in the pit of his stomach return, and Kaiba suddenly felt at a loss for words as he looked down at the food.

“You did this all yourself?” Kaiba asked instead.

Kise did not seem to mind the change in topic, his smile only widening as he nodded.

“Well I guess I can’t take all the credit. I asked a friend for the recipe, and Momocchi helped me to decorate earlier.”

“I guess all that’s missing is the music.”

Kise blinked, followed by the snapping of his fingers.

“Ah, how silly of me! Of course!”

Kaiba watched with amusement as Kise took out his phone from his pocket, and after a moment, classical music began to play from a corner of the room and filled the air around them.

“Behold, the magic of wireless speakers,” Kise said with a grin as he slipped his phone back into his pocket, and Kaiba’s lips quirked up.

“Very impressive.”

Kise grinned, before motioning to the food across the flickering candles.

“Now eat, Kaibacchi. Let me know how you like it.”

Kise didn’t have to say more as Kaiba grabbed the fork and knife beside the plate, and began to cut a piece of meat. The knife sunk easily into filet, and Kaiba wasn’t surprised to see that indeed, Kise had even cooked it to his preferred medium rare.

Kise chose to watch Kaiba take the first bite rather than dig into his own food, patiently waiting as Kaiba brought the speared piece of meat to his mouth with his fork, and watched as the brunette slowly chewed and savored the bite.

He watched with focused eyes as Kaiba’s eyes opened, and was he not so attuned to the brunette, would have missed the subtle brightening of his usually darker blue eyes, causing Kise to smile widely even before Kaiba gave him his answer.

“It’s… good.”

Indeed, being his favorite dish, and his taste for quality, Kaiba knew what separated the mediocre from first rate. And while he couldn’t say that Kise’s was the absolute _best_ he’d ever had… the fact that the blonde had taken the time to learn what his favorite dish was… and then to learn to prepare it just so…

He wondered if Kise had practiced multiple times to get it just right, to a level that he was confident would appeal to him. The effort that he had put into the presentation and setup alone spoke volumes… and despite being in Kise’s small apartment, a place he never would have thought he would be enjoying his favorite food… with this blonde man that had someone taken over a large portion of his thoughts on a daily basis…

Was it wrong to think that this was the best dish he had ever had?

“I’m glad you like it,” Kise said, before he began to also eat from his own plate.

The wine that Kaiba had chosen paired perfectly with their food, and Kise felt accomplished at how well everything turned out. He didn’t even care anymore about Kaiba being late, what mattered was that Kaiba had come, and he knew his biggest fear was that he wouldn’t come at all. Yet here he was… dressed up, looking beyond gorgeous as he sat across from him. Yet despite it all, Kise could make out a slight tension to the way Kaiba sat.

“Kaibacchi… I’m really happy you came. I know this is something you probably think is petty and common… things like dates I mean. And I understand why you’re against the idea…”

Kaiba paused in his eating as he gave his attention to Kise as he began to speak. Looking at the blonde, he could see that he was being sincere. His usual cheerful aura was subdued, and he looked serious as he looked at him.

“Relationships… are far from easy. And they can be terrifying. Giving your heart to someone means being vulnerable to them, it means giving them the power to hurt you in unimaginable ways.”

Kaiba frowned, and that squirming in the pit of his stomach was back. Still, Kise’s words reminded him of all his doubts, all the reasons why he had avoided the very idea of relationships and why he had considered them a weakness he didn’t need. Why was he bringing it up now?

Then Kise smiled, a smile filled with so much warmth that it caused Kaiba to feel as if the sun was shining before him.

“But… relationships can also be beautiful. They challenge us in ways nothing else can… and can bring happiness you never imagined possible. They can push us to be the best version of ourselves, and can be our greatest strength…”

There was that sense of assurance that Kaiba was almost envious of. It reminded him that despite his younger age, and not having experienced many harsh realities of life, Kise Ryota had a passion for life that he had never seen before. He seemed to see the world as full of treasures, each to be enjoyed despite the thorns that might be hidden within them.

A wry smile formed on Kaiba’s lips as the tale of Gilgamesh came to mind. He truly was a selfish king, greedier than even him who had made it his life mission to create his fortune and legacy.

“What are you trying to say?” Kaiba asked, looking curiously at Kise, whose smile only became more sincere.

“I’m saying… that I swear that my intentions are honest. What I told you that day when I asked you for a date was the truth, and I still stand by it, now more than ever after everything that’s happened. I’m falling for you… and I want to see where it can lead us, if you give me the chance. I’ll strive to make you happy… and grow with you. I’ll support you with everything I am, and to be there for you when you can’t be there for yourself. I’ll show you that you’re worthy of a love like no other…”

_Ba dump._

There he went again… saying things that should mean nothing to him. Things he had convinced himself long ago that didn’t exist in the life he set out to create. It wasn’t that Kaiba didn’t believe in love… after all, Kaiba knew without a doubt he loved his brother. To an extent, he also loved his cards, like his Blue-Eyes, and even his company, what he had made of it.

But to love someone outside the comforts of what he knew… that was a foreign and ludicrous thought he never dared to entertain.

Until… that is… this man named Kise Ryota entered his life and made him crave him like nothing else before. He was like a drug, irresistibly intoxicating and gave him a high like nothing else. And like a drug, Kaiba only wanted more of him.

Only Kise couldn’t be a drug, because he was as human as he was. With a will of his own. A will that made him see something in him to pursue him, a will that made him trust him enough to share parts of himself and his past that he had done with no one else by choice. He made him want to protect him from the dangers of their world, even against all reason, even when he should have had no reason to.

“But… if at any point you decide that’s not what you want, I’ll understand, and we can end the date.”

Kaiba found himself frown at Kise’s words, and something unpleasant stirred in him.

He took a drink of his wine, focusing on the flavor on his tongue, before turning back to Kise, who looked almost forlorn.

“Well, you did say you wouldn’t disappoint me with this date. I’m not disappointed yet.”

The smile that formed on Kise’s lips immediately dispersed that unpleasant feeling, and the two resumed eating.

* * *

They talked easily through dinner, with Kise telling Kaiba about what he had done for his first practice for the upcoming tournament, and how excited he was to be participating in such a unique way. He told him he was working on convincing his friends to join, and it already looked like Akashi, Midorima, and Momoi would be participating. It helped that the tournament was during their summer break, so that they had the time off to really enjoy it all.

Kaiba told him about the rest of the events that would be happening, and the overall objective of the tournament and the new technology he was showcasing.

After a few tries, Kise was able to get Kaiba to tell him what Mokuba had told him to do for their date, and the lady who had given him the bouquet.

“So, what _do_ the flowers mean?” Kise asked curiously.

They had finished their food by then, their plates clean and the first bottle of wine finished.

Kise resisted to urge to laugh at the way Kaiba’s cheeks colored just a bit, and the brunette avoided his gaze.

“That’s something for you to find out on your own if you want to know.”

Deciding not to push, Kise stood up.

“Well, if you want to work on opening that second bottle of wine… I’ll get the dessert. After all… all good dates have dessert.”

Kaiba only watched out of the corner of his eye as Kise made his way over to his fridge, before doing as asked and opening the second bottle of wine. He heard the clatter of plates and movement behind him, and the sound of Kise humming something softly as he made his way back.

Kaiba was still standing by the time Kise reached the table, and was surprised when the blonde came close, and as he turned his head to look at him, he was surprised to feel a kiss pressed at the corner of his lips. The sensation was over as quickly as it came, but it still made his skin tingle pleasantly, and Kise merely looked satisfied as he placed the plate in his hands on the table.

Kaiba looked down to see that it was cheesecake, and he immediately understood why Kise had chosen it as their dessert.

It brought to mind the first time they ate together, after their duel, and the moment they shared the following day, when Kaiba had come dangerously close to kissing him were it not for Mokuba’s arrival.

It seemed like such a long time ago, yet… it couldn’t have been more than a few months. How would things have been different, he wondered… if they had kissed that day. Would they have reached this point sooner? Would things have turned out completely different?

Did it matter? What was the point of thinking of things past?

The only thing that was relevant… was that Kise looked as alluring now as he did then… and the only thing that changed was that this time, Kaiba could kiss him without hesitation, and no one else was there to stop him.

And as he dipped his finger into the whipped cream that Kise had put on the side of his piece, and he smeared it on his pink lips, Kaiba did just that.

Before Kise could say anything, Kaiba descended on the lips covered in the white cream, kissing him gently before licking his own lips to clear away any remnants of the cream that might have remained.

Kise looked pleased, a smile on his lips.

“Did you make this too?” Kaiba asked.

Surprisingly, Kise shook his head.

“Actually, I tried to make it myself and it just wouldn’t come out… so I asked my friend to make it for me. But it’s the thought that counts, right?” Kise said sheepishly.

Kaiba chuckled.

“I guess there _are_ some things you can’t do.”

Kise pouted.

“Nuh huh, I just have to practice a bit more. I’ll get it next time!”

Kaiba decided he liked that look of determination in Kise’s eyes.

Before Kaiba could sit down, Kise was holding his own plate in his hand with a piece of the cheesecake on his fork and holding it out to him.

“Say _ahh_,” Kise said with a satisfied grin on his face, and Kaiba blinked at the nostalgia the gesture brought.

This time however, Kaiba’s own lips quirked up, before he leaned into the fork and opened his mouth to take in the creamy dessert. It was very good, perhaps even better than the cheesecake from back then.

“Now you feed me,” Kise said with an expectant look in his eyes, and Kaiba felt his brows furrow at the command.

Kise could see the hesitation on his face, and he pouted.

“_Kaibacchi_, that’s how dates work, we do disgustingly adorable stuff like feeding each other,” Kise practically whined, and Kaiba glanced at his own plate.

“Then I don’t want to date.”

Kise’s pout only became more pronounced, and now there was an affronted look on his face.

“Don’t even joke like that, you’re still here aren’t you?”

Before Kise could get genuinely upset, Kaiba grabbed his plate and did as Kise requested, taking some of the cheesecake with his own utensil, and ignoring the way Kise’s brightening smile made him feel as he stretched out his hand towards Kise’s mouth, only for the blonde’s lips to close around the fork, and Kaiba could practically _feel_ the rumble of Kise’s satisfied moan travel up his arm.

Perhaps Kise was right, if something like feeding him could cause him to feel as pleased as it did.

Kise brought over his chair so that he was closer to Kaiba instead of sitting across, and the two continued to slowly feed each other.

“You know… our first kiss was like this…”

Kaiba raised an eyebrow at Kise’s statement, clearly not understanding what he meant, and Kise chuckled.

“When I fed you that piece of cheesecake that day with my fork… it’s called an _indirect kiss_, since I had been eating from it before you,” Kise explained with a soft look on his face.

Kaiba frowned.

“That’s ridiculous.”

Kise grinned.

“Maybe… but that was when I decided that I wanted to kiss you for real. I was really upset when Mokubacchi walked in and ruined my chance.”

Kaiba merely looked at Kise for a moment, taking in the look of wistfulness on his face.

“Well… there’s no one to stop you now.”

Kise’s eyes widened, and the disarming look on his face caused Kaiba to look away, his gaze settling on the candles that continued to flicker on the table.

He looked back when Kise stood from his seat, and the next thing he knew, the blonde was settling on his lap, and his lips were on his.

Kaiba felt the familiar sharp trill of desire course through him at the touch, and as Kise wrapped his arms around his neck, his own went to rest on his hips as their lips began to move against each other.

Kaiba’s tongue flicked against Kise’s lips, and as they eagerly parted, Kaiba wasted no time in tasting the inside of his mouth, delighting in the sweetness of his tongue as he deepened the kiss. Kise’s low moan only made him want him more, and Kaiba pulled the blonde closer, only for the blonde to groan and pull away, causing Kaiba to frown and give a pointed look at the blonde.

Kise bit his lip, and Kaiba wanted nothing more than to draw him back into the kiss.

“The date isn’t over yet… no sex until the end.”

Kaiba’s frown deepened, and Kise could only laugh lightly before pressing a soft kiss to Kaiba’s lips, before getting off his lap and reaching for his hands to pull him up instead.

“I have another treat… bring the wine,” Kise said with a wink, and Kaiba could only sigh before getting up and grabbing the wine before following after the blonde.

Kise led them to the living room, and Kaiba placed the wine and glasses on the table, before looking expectantly at the blonde, who had made his way to the couch closer to the wall, and leaned over to for something behind it.

Kaiba wasn’t expecting the familiar gray briefcase that the blonde pulled out, and as Kise turned around, the victorious and excited grin on his face practically lit up the room.

“Ta da!”

Kaiba’s eyes narrowed.

“Are those my Duel Monsters cards?” Kaiba asked incredulously.

Kise’s grin widened.

“Yep!”

“How did you get them?”

Although really, did he have to ask?

“Mokubacchi, of course. He’s been a huge help.”

Kise had no shame as he put the briefcase on the table, and effortlessly opened the lid to reveal the contents within while Kaiba sighed.

“And how did he manage to do that while in another country, exactly?”

Kise hummed happily, as if this was completely normal, and not the great offense that it would be had anyone else done something like this.

“He enlisted the help of… what was his name… ah! Roland! He dropped it off earlier.”

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. Of course. Who else would be able to so easily acquire his cards without setting off an alarm?

“Are you mad? I just thought it would be fun to have a few duels… now that I have my dream deck and all. And I thought it would be more exciting if it was a surprise.”

Now, Kise did look concerned, and Kaiba felt guilty.

“No… I’m not mad.”

Kise’s grin returned, and Kaiba settled down beside the table.

“I’m glad… I also thought it would be nice if we used some old-school playmats. I know you love your technology, but why not do it the old-fashioned way?”

Kaiba blinked as he watched Kise slide the play-mat from beneath the couch, and took in the sight of the blonde setting up the table so that they could comfortably play.

He didn’t remember the last time he had used a playmat… especially since he had created his holographic technology. Yet the thought of playing against Kise again excited him nonetheless, and the fact that Kise had thought to add playing his favorite game to their date also brought another wave of warmth through him.

“Here… make your deck. I already prepared three different ones, to keep things interesting.”

The smile on Kise’s lips was divine, while his eyes shone with determination and challenge.

Kaiba smirked.

“You look far too confident for your own good. I guess I’ll have to remind you who the winner of our last duels was.”

Kise decided to make his way over as Kaiba began to sort through his cards, and Kaiba looked up to see Kise hovering over him.

“Maybe, but don’t forget who summoned an ancient God of creation and saved our lives.”

Kaiba scoffed and Kise grinned before turning around.

“I’ll be right back; I left my decks in my room.”

Kaiba had already decided on the strategy he would use for his first deck, and was merely looking for the cards he would need to create it. He wasn’t sure which deck Kise would choose first, which added to the excitement of the challenge.

Kise returned shortly after and placed three different deck holders on the table.

“Also, you’re keeping score, because I don’t want to do the math.”

Kaiba scoffed.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Maybe, but you’re still doing it.”

“Shouldn’t you say please when asking someone to do something you don’t like?”

“Not when it’s a command.”

“Being the reincarnation of a king is really going to your head.”

“Silence, mongrel. Do as your king commands.”

“I’m going to make you regret saying that.”

* * *

Despite their duels missing the flashiness of the hologram projections and special effects, they were having fun. Their matches were no less exciting than if they had used Kaiba’s technology, nor less fierce.

Neither held back, and after four games, both had won two games each.

Kise had been elated when he won his first duel against Kaiba, and Kaiba couldn’t even find it in himself to be too upset about the surprising victory, not when it made Kise as happy as it did.

Still, Kaiba refused to just keel over in defeat, and made sure to get him back the next duel.

The more they played, the more Kaiba felt his gaze stray to Kise more than his cards and the plays on the mat. He was constantly drawn by every motion and expression that Kise made. His every grin, his every laugh, his every frown, his every pout when his plan didn’t work out. Kaiba felt transfixed by the blonde sitting across from him, and with every moment that passed, it felt as if his chest was growing fuller and fuller. So much so, that the cards soon lost his interest, and there was only one thing that Kaiba wanted.

As his turn came, Kaiba merely put down his cards on the table, and Kise looked confused as he looked at him, but said nothing as Kaiba got up and made his way over to him.

It seemed Kise wanted to ask something, but stopped himself when Kaiba held out his hand to him, and merely looked more confused.

Still, he reached out with his own, and when his hand settled atop of his, Kaiba grasped it gently, and tugged at the blonde. Getting the hint, Kise slowly stood up.

His brows furrowed at the look in Kaiba’s eyes.

It was… different.

There was a warmth in his eyes that Kise had never seen before, and a soft look on his face that made Kise’s breath hitch, and his heart raced when one of Kaiba’s hands moved to caress his face, tucking back a stray piece of hair behind his ear.

Kaiba held his gaze, and Kise didn’t want to move, afraid that it would shatter this moment, this moment that something inside him told him was significant.

Kise didn’t even dare to speak, intent on letting Kaiba do as he intended.

And to his surprise, Kaiba smiled.

A genuine smile that made heat blossom in his chest and spread to every inch of him.

Kise felt heat settle on his cheeks, and when Kaiba leaned in, he eagerly welcomed the feel of his lips on his.

And it was _that_ kiss.

That kiss that spoke of hidden meanings and promises. That kiss that made Kise’s head and heart reel, that made him feel starved for every bit of what Kaiba was willing to give him.

Kise grasped at the front of Kaiba’s shirt, desperate to feel closer to him and kiss him deeper, and this time, it was him seeking entrance into his mouth with his tongue, and moaned when Kaiba opened his mouth to let him in. Kise could taste the wine on his tongue and mouth, and he felt his blood pump faster throughout his body as a wave of lust washed over him, shivering when Kaiba’s hands on his hips drew him closer.

Kaiba suddenly felt overwhelmed by all the emotions suddenly overtaking him. Every part of him that Kise touched burned, his entire body felt aflame with desire. But it was more than lust that he was feeling. That feeling in his chest that had gradually been growing stronger and more prominent the more time he spent in the presence of the blonde was stronger than even the desire he felt, and it made his head feel cloudy with emotions he had never before experienced.

Kaiba tugged at the clothing on Kise, wanting nothing more than to take it all off so that he could feel more of him, even if he knew it still wouldn’t be enough, because it never quite was, since he was always left wanting more. Kise obliged as he pulled away just enough to pull the sweater over his head, and while his lips crashed back into his, Kaiba’s hands were already tugging at the tie around his neck and pulling it off. Kaiba’s blazer was next, and now Kise was pulling him in the direction his bedroom, Kaiba eagerly following as Kise began to untuck and unbutton his shirt.

So lost in their kisses and touches, Kaiba didn’t notice they were in Kise’s room until a pleasant smell invaded his senses, and only when Kise pulled away and looked behind him did Kaiba see what Kise had done with his room.

Just like he had done with the dining table, he had transformed his room.

_Ba dump._

Candles were placed around the room, flickering gently as the only source of light in the room, but enough of them that Kaiba was able to clearly make out the room. He was also able to make out the red balloons that had floated up to the ceiling around the room, and the white bedsheet covering Kise’s bed that had the same rose petals strewn atop of it, along with synthetic candles. There were also flowers in vases around the room.

Kaiba didn’t have words, even if he felt he needed to say something.

Kise only smiled and wrapped his arms around Kaiba’s neck as he began to pepper his face with soft kisses.

“Just so you know… this is called being _romantic_.”

Kaiba glared at Kise at his playful jab, before roughly pulling him into another kiss, and Kise chuckled against his lips, before returning to the task of undressing Kaiba and removing his shirt, while Kaiba did the same to him.

The wine had finally done its job, and both were feeling its effects, and as Kise led Kaiba to his bed, he surprised the brunette by pushing him down onto the white rose petal covered sheets.

The sudden movement caused Kaiba to feel dizzy for a moment, and when he looked up with a confused glower, he saw that there was an edge to Kise’s eyes in the flickering lights. The look in his eye was different, predatory almost, and the smirk on Kise’s lips caused his stomach to turn in an unexpected way.

“Kise… what are yo—” Kaiba’s question was cut off by Kise’s lips as he leaned over him and kissed him deeply.

Once more getting lost in the kiss, Kaiba only let Kise continue to take off his pants so that he was fully undressed, enjoyed the feeling of his fingers stroking down his sides that left goosebumps in their wake and caused Kaiba to shiver.

He tensed when he felt Kise’s hand make its way to his hardening cock, but rather than stroke it like he thought the blonde would, he ignored it in favor of going lower, and Kaiba further tensed and his eyes widened when Kise pressed a finger lightly against his hole.

“Kaibacchi… has someone ever touched you here?”

Kaiba froze, felt his mind come to a halt at what the blonde was implying, yet somehow managed to shake his head.

“I want tonight to be about you… can I touch you here?”

Kaiba began to process what Kise was asking, felt heat rise to his cheeks as he did so.

In all honesty…Kaiba had never let anyone but himself touch him there. It wasn’t from a lack of not liking it… Kaiba knew from pleasuring himself that he indeed enjoyed it.

The simple truth was that Kaiba could never stomach the thought of those he slept with to ever penetrate him that way. The thought always disgusted him, to be filled by those people he never wanted to see again. So, he had always taken the role of being the dominant one…

But…

As Kise continued to gently stroke at his entrance, waiting for permission, Kaiba felt another wave of lust crash over him.

The thought of Kise being the one to touch him where no one but himself had, invoked the opposite of disgust in him. It made him shiver with desire, and his heart beat faster in his chest as warmth coursed through him.

Feeling his face grow hotter, Kaiba could feel Kise’s piercing gaze on him, and covered his face as he looked away and nodded.

He was further surprised when Kise pulled away, only for a moment later to practically gather him in his arms and lift him to reposition him so he was fully on the bed, his head on the pillow. It was actions like this that reminded the brunette that Kise truly was strong, and unlike many of the partners he had taken in the past.

With another tender kiss to his lips, Kise hummed pleasantly as he reached for the bedside table, and took out what Kaiba knew to be the bottle of lube.

“How does some music sound?” Kise asked against his lips.

Kaiba huffed.

“Do what you want.”

Kise grinned against his lips, before pulling away and digging into his pant pocket where his phone was nestled, and music similar to what played that night in Nicaragua flowed through some unknown speaker in the room. It was just low enough to be heard, but not too loud to be distracting.

Kaiba was filled with anticipation as Kise grabbed the lube once more and made his way between his legs, and as Kise began to press gentle kisses against his thigh, he resisted the urge to shiver and arch against his every touch. The blonde seemed adamant on taking his time, because after kissing his way up one thigh, he decided to do the same with the other, while one free hand began to stroke lightly along his lower abdomen and teasing around his hardening cock.

Still, his ministrations were having the desired effect, because Kaiba’s breathing was growing shallower as his face only grew hotter, until finally, Kise’s face was right between his legs, and his legs over his shoulders, only for Kaiba’s breath to catch in his throat and his eyes widened as he felt Kise’s tongue flick against his hole.

Kaiba couldn’t hold back his groan as Kise lapped at him, felt his toes curl as Kise’s hand moved to wrap around his cock and apply some pressure while his tongue continued to work on him. He felt trills of pleasure travel up his spine at the sensations, felt his body growing hotter with each lap of his tongue and stroke of his hand.

The music playing in the background filtered through the haze.

_Baby, let me be your man  
So I can love you (I can love you)  
And if you let me be your man  
Then I'll take care of you, you_

Even if it was just a song, even if it was mere coincidence for this song to be playing in that moment, it still made Kaiba’s heart falter. Because wasn’t that exactly what Kise was asking him that night? Isn’t that what this was all for? He wanted commitment… all those things that Kaiba had told himself were for simple-minded people living average lives, who would accomplish nothing besides bringing more children into the world. Children who would suffer because wasn’t that what life was? Suffering? Without power, without success, life was only cruel.

_We're drinking the finest label  
Dirty dancing on top of the table  
Long walks on the beach in April  
Yeah, I promise, darling, that I'll be faithful_

He remembered all those moment with Kise. Their dinners. Playing games with Mokuba. Their questions. Their fight. Their walk through Domino Central Park. The feeling of relief he felt at telling Kise all that he did. Their trip to Nicaragua. All the indulgences he allowed the blonde. Things that he would have never done on his own, yet all he could recall as he thought back to it all was how enjoyable it had all been. How something that had seemed pointless in theory, he thought back to with fondness.

Kaiba gasped when he felt one of Kise’s lubed fingers press against his hole, arched into his touch as his finger slipped inside, felt that sharp trill of pleasure travel up his spine and cock, and moaned when Kise tentatively began to move the digit in and out of him, slow and easy.

Kaiba almost wanted to yell at the blonde, to tell him he wasn’t delicate enough to be handled with care.

But he didn’t… because a part of him _wanted_ Kise to take his time. To make it last.

_Give me your body and let me love you like I do  
Come a little closer and let me do those things to you  
This feeling will last forever, baby, that's the truth  
Let me be your man so I can love you_

Kaiba focused on the feeling of being stretched, bit his lip to keep from crying out when Kise finally fully sheathed his finger inside him.

As Kise raised his gaze to look at Kaiba, he relished at the sight of the flushed brunette, the lust and pleasure on his face, and shallow breathing as his chest rose and fell. It sent a wave of possessiveness and pride over him, to be the one to see Kaiba this way, and Kise wanted to be the _only_ _one_ to ever see him like this. He wanted to hear his cries of pleasure, to be the one to make him come undone with his touch.

It gave him that sense of urgency that made him slip in another wet finger into him, and his ears practically twitched with pleasure at the cry that Kaiba made. It made Kise feel hotter as he began to lick at his cock while his fingers worked into him, the feel of his walls clenching around him making his own cock twitch and throb in his pants.

But this wasn’t about him… this was about Kaiba, and _his_ pleasure. His could wait.

He watched with hooded eyes as he added a third finger, and Kaiba dug his nails into the bedsheets and let his head fall to the side as he looked back at him with half closed eyed. Kise grinned, intent to give him a show, and began to relentless lick and suck on his cock, letting his saliva cover his length and didn’t even try to be clean about it as he slurped greedily to keep him wet and slick.

Kaiba moaned deeply as Kise pushed his fingers in particularly deep, and curled them against his prostate, taking pleasure in the way Kaiba arched up against him wantonly and breathlessly.

After a moment more of pleasuring Kaiba this way, Kise finally felt the brunette under him was ready for more, and began to take off the remainder of his own clothing.

Kaiba tensed at the movement, and Kise never once removed his gaze from him as he slipped out of his pants and tossed them to the side, his own cock fully hard and erect with precum glinting off the tip.

Kise smirked at the way that Kaiba’s own gaze was drawn it, and the way he bit his lip, but the lust in his eyes told Kise that he wanted it as bad as Kise was eager to give it to him.

Still… Kise was feeling particularly devilish that night, and decided to tease the brunette a bit more as he grabbed the bottle of lube and poured some over his length, before slowly spreading the liquid over the rest of it, and his smirk widened when Kaiba’s eyes darkened at the sight.

Kise placed the bottle to the side, before leaning over the brunette to be able to once more kiss him deeply, and moaned when Kaiba eagerly reached for him, his nails digging into his back as he pulled him closer, and Kise slipped his tongue into his mouth while his own fingers dug into Kaiba’s hips. They arched up against him, causing their cocks to rub against each other pleasurably and causing them to continue to grind against each other for more of that delicious friction. Their mouths moved more eagerly against each other, their tongues tangling together wetly and messily.

Kise groaned as he forced himself to stop, and took pleasure in the way Kaiba practically whined when he used his hands to halt the moving of his hips.

“You look beautiful like this…” Kise whispered as he moved one hand to stroke Kaiba’s face, who remained flushed and utterly debauched with lust.

Kaiba seemed to have enough coherent thought to huff in annoyance, and once more tried to arch his hips against Kise impatiently.

The blonde chuckled, before placing a tender kiss on the side of Kaiba’s mouth while his hand trailed slowly down his side.

“Patience Kaibacchi… I plan to enjoy every second of having you squirm with pleasure under me.”

Kise’s voice was low and husky as he leaned so that his lips were near Kaiba’s ear.

“I’m going to enjoy watching your face when I’m inside you… and seeing how much more beautiful you look when I show you just how precious you are…”

Kaiba felt his breath hitch at the words, and a powerful shiver of anticipation wracked through his whole body.

Kise’s hands once more caressed down Kaiba’s body, until they reached his hips, and with a gentle tug, Kise raised Kaiba’s hips and rested him on his thighs for support. He grabbed the bottle of lube again, and Kaiba shivered once more when the cool and wet liquid was poured at his entrance.

That feeling of anticipation once more filled his chest, and every part of his body that Kise touched burned hot. His head felt hazy, and all Kaiba could focus on was the blonde over him. He watched as Kise once more stroked himself, to make sure enough lube covered his length, and he felt himself hold his breath as the blonde finally guided his cock to his entrance, and tensed at the feel of it pressing against him.

“Relax Kaibacchi… I won’t hurt you… I promise.”

His words of assurance made that warmth in his chest grow, but Kaiba was even more surprised to find that he didn’t need them, because he already knew that he trusted this man.

Still, he nodded, and forced himself to relax as Kise added more pressure and pushed in slowly.

He gasped when the tip went in, felt the burn of being stretched in the way that fingers could not do alone, and felt his heart beat faster.

Kise was true to his word, took his time, and slowly pushed in, just enough to give room to pull back without completely pulling out, while one of his hands gently stroked Kaiba’s cock to counter the pain with pleasure, and gently easing himself into Kaiba.

Kaiba appreciated it, because although he had pleasured himself with his fingers in the past, he had never had a fully hardened cock inside of him. His toes curled once more as Kise slowly pushed in, and Kaiba was overwhelmed with the feeling of becoming full, and tried to focus on the pleasure of Kise’s hand on him as he continued.

The burn was slowly replaced with pleasure as Kise slowly pushed in and out of him, each time pushing in just a little bit deeper.

Each thrust sent a shock of pleasure through him, and caused him to gasp and moan, no longer trying to keep the sounds at bay.

“That’s it Kaibacchi…” Kise moaned out, his own eyes hooded with pleasure as he looked down at the brunette, sweat glistening on his forehead, “Keep making those sounds for me…”

Why was it that only Kise’s voice had ever made him feel as if his body was on fire and melting? Why was it that only Kise could ever speak to him the way that he did and get away with it? Only with Kise had Kaiba ever felt his walls lower, enough to let himself be this vulnerable underneath him, and still want _more_.

Kaiba gasped when finally, _finally_, Kise fully sheathed himself inside of him. He saw stars behind his eyes as they closed and felt something burst inside his chest, felt it spread throughout his body as his nails dug themselves into the sheets underneath them. Kaiba quivered, and Kise stilled within him, and Kaiba could have sworn he felt Kise twitch inside him.

Even if he wasn’t moving, Kaiba noticed that Kise was breathing heavily, his fingers digging almost painfully against his hip where they held on to him, but even the ache from his hold was still somehow pleasurable as Kaiba breathed harshly.

Kise met his gaze once more, and Kaiba could see a storm of emotions in his eyes, before he looked almost apologetically at him.

“Sorry Kaibacchi… give me a minute… you feel way too good.”

Kise closed his eyes, as if to concentrate on his breathing to get it back under control, and Kaiba couldn’t tear his gaze away from the younger man.

How was it possible… that simply looking at him made Kaiba feel the way it did? How could Kise Ryota make him feel like nothing ever had before.

He almost felt… _complete_.

That part of him that had always felt cold… empty… despite this success, his victories, his money and fame.

Suddenly… he couldn’t feel that achingly cold void inside himself, that part that nothing ever seemed capable of filling…

Until now…

Until he allowed once more for Kise Ryota to be his exception, to break through his every defense.

“_Mmng_!” Kaiba gasped and his cock twitched when Kise began to move once again, his legs wrapping around his waist as Kise placed his hands on either side of him to support his weight as he hovered over Kaiba.

Kaiba felt his head fall to the side as Kise began a steady rhythm in and out of him, his breathing uneven as his blood pumped faster.

Even if this wasn’t the first time the two had sex together… far from it in fact… this felt different.

It felt so different for Kise to be the one on top of him, for him to be the one inside him. It was a different level of closeness than when it was him taking Kise.

After all… wasn’t that why he preferred to be the dominant one with others? He was used to taking… he was used to setting the pace… to being in control.

But now… in this way… Kaiba felt powerless… it felt as if he was giving up a part of himself, leaving himself at the mercy of this man.

And why…

Why did it feel so freeing?

Kise was leaning closer to him now, and Kaiba gasped when one of his arms unexpectedly grabbed him around his waist, only to hoist him up closer, so that his ass was arched off the bed, and Kise could easily lean over. The new position caused Kise to go even deeper inside him, and Kaiba could only cry out at the pleasure it sent through him, while Kise gathered his wrists over his hand, and held onto them with one hand.

Kaiba somehow felt even more exposed this way, overwhelmed in a way he hadn’t felt before, and looked away to lessen it.

Only for Kise’s hand to cup his chin and make him look at him as he paused.

“Kaibacchi… look at me.”

Something told Kaiba not to listen… that looking at Kise would be his undoing.

“Kaibacchi…”

The pleading tone behind Kise’s velvety voice made his heart falter, in that way that only Kise could make it do, and Kaiba once again felt powerless against Kise’s hold over him.

He opened his eyes, and as his gaze met Kise’s fathomless pools of emotion, Kaiba felt his breath catch at the breathtaking smile that formed on Kise’s lips. There were so many emotions in those eyes… in those lips…

_There's this world that I'm living in  
Stranger than the one before  
I don't wanna fight it anymore  
There's a meaning I've been looking for  
I never had to go too far  
Found you in my heart down on the floor_

“Kaibacchi… will you see me?”

Kaiba blinked at the question, even as Kise once more thrust in and out of him, as his head grew hazy with pleasure.

He didn’t understand… what did Kise mean? He knew the younger man didn’t mean the question literally, that much was obvious.

Kise’s smile became warmer, and this time, he leaned down to press his lips against his, softly and tenderly, so that his head grew even more hazy, but Kaiba returned the kiss. Even Kise’s tongue was languid against his, and Kaiba simply followed Kise’s lead.

“Can you see me how I see you?”

Kaiba breathed hard as he tried to focus on Kise’s face, as he tried to wrap his mind about those words that made no sense, as his pleasure only grew stronger with each new thrust of his hips.

But even though he didn’t respond, Kise never once wavered, never once looked at him impatiently.

“Seto Kaiba…”

_Ba dump._

“You are the most amazing person I’ve ever met. You have gone through unimaginable things…overcome impossible obstacles… and have been left with scars you don’t deserve.”

_Ba dump._

“Yet… you became my light… when the world was becoming so dark and terrifying. You made me see the beauty in myself… in this world… and in you…”

_Ba dump._

“I want to be your light too… I want to give you what you need… to show you the love you don’t think you deserve…”

Wait…

What was he saying…

“Ξ ΞΞΞΞ ΞΞΞ”

Kaiba froze, his eyes wide as he looked at Kise’s face.

What did he…

Kise smiled, and repeated the phrase, so that Kaiba knew he hadn’t imagined it.

No…

Impossible…

How did he…

“How do you know those words?” Kaiba managed to say, despite the sudden dryness in his throat, despite the way he felt his blood run cold yet hot at the same time.

Kise only kept smiling, but now began to press kisses softly against his face.

Kaiba wanted to push him away, to demand an answer… yet he felt as if all strength was gone from his body.

“I wanted to tell you my feelings… in a way that would truly reach you. I asked Mokubacchi for help.”

Kise’s movements had stilled inside him, and Kaiba was glad for the reprieve, so that he could fully understand what Kise was talking about.

“He told me about the place you were born… far from here… about your native tongue…”

Kaiba felt as if his chest constricted. Felt something prickle at corner of his eyes.

“Kaibacchi… Ξ ΞΞΞΞ ΞΞΞ”

_Ba dump._

His chest hurt…

Because it was _that_ language…

The first language he remembered…

The language from the times he had tried so hard to forget…

The language that his parents had spoken to them in…

The same words that they spoke to them before bed… before they left for a business trip… when they would be away for long periods of time, to remind them that they mattered and that they would back soon.

_I love you._

_Take me back to the start  
Before all the scars affected me  
Take me back to the start  
Before I was worried about everything_

How long had it been since he had heard those words?

Yet why did he suddenly remember it so vividly…

Those words that had once filled him with so much joy and warmth, that promised a better day when they returned. The words that propelled him and Mokuba to run to those large doors when their caretaker told them their parents were home.

_Home_.

The feelings of warmth that wrapped around him those nights… when their mother would hold them close and tell them a bedtime story. When she would place gentle kisses on their foreheads as she laid them to sleep.

The way his father would place a gentle hand on their heads, how they would look up at him with awe, because no one was mightier and braver than their father…no place was safer than beside him…

_What's this feeling that I'm feeling?  
All different than the times before  
I can't even fake it anymore  
I was shielded by my own mistakes  
So scared to give my guard a break  
Ready to let you love me now_

And why…

Why did he feel those same feelings as Kise gathered him in his arms? As tears ran down his face?

He should be angry at him… angry that he dared to utter words that were meant to stay buried in his heart, deep where they couldn’t hurt him and remind him of what he had lost.

How dare he… make him remember those moments…

And why…

Why did his heart feel even fuller than before?

Why was warmth still coursing through every inch that Kise touched?

Why did he feel so free?

Even as more tears ran down his face…

As he clutched desperately onto this man that had turned his whole world upside down with what he had always considered his forbidden words…

His weakness…

The part of himself that he desperately held on to yet yearned to also destroy.

Kaiba shut his eyes tightly, willed his tears to stop.

But they wouldn’t.

His body refused to listen to him, and his tears continued to flow.

Kise began to move again, and Kaiba could only gasp as the pleasure returned… as it mixed with all those feelings swirling in his heart.

Kaiba shuddered as his nails dug harder against Kise’s soft skin beneath, as he buried his face in the crook of his neck.

“Kaibacchi…”

Kise’s voice sounded concerned, and he once more began to still, only for Kaiba to clutch onto him harder, and for his legs to wrap around him tighter.

“Don’t stop…” Kaiba gasped out, “Don’t you dare stop.”

Kise blinked, felt his heart swell as Kaiba clutched tighter to him, even with his face buried against his neck so that he couldn’t see him, but felt his tears just the same.

And Kise obliged. He continued to thrust his hips in and out, gradually increasing his pace, until both of them were left gasping and panting, until he felt Kaiba clutch him harder, and this time, felt the bite of his teeth against his neck as he came between them.

It was all Kise needed to reach his own orgasm, as it washed over him unlike anything before, and all he could do was pull Kaiba closer against him, as he relished in the feeling of being connected to him in this way.

A moment passed, and even after Kise softened inside of him, Kaiba refused to let him go, continued to clutch him as his face remained buried in the crook of his neck.

_Take me, take me  
I just wanna live in your arms  
Where I'm safe forever  
Keep me safe here forever  
Keep me safe here forever_

Kise could only smile as he laid them on their sides, as he drew Kaiba against him, and the brunette curled against his chest, face still hidden from view as he ducked his chin. Kise was able to pull out of him, felt the spilling of his semen out of the brunette as he did so.

Kaiba remained silent, said nothing as Kise began to stroke the back of his head and down his back. Kise only felt the shivers that traveled up his body, the goosebumps that formed along his skin.

Kise didn’t feel any new tears against his chest, but it was hard to tell from the way Kaiba pressed against him.

Despite the silence… Kise didn’t have an ounce of unease in his heart, not as long as Kaiba remained curled up against him, and his arms wrapped securely around him, as he felt his gentle breathing against his chest.

Their moment of silence continued, and Kise sighed as he placed a kiss atop of Kaiba’s head.

“I’ve been thinking a lot these past few weeks… about everything that’s happened since we met, and even before then.”

Kaiba didn’t even fidget as Kise began to speak softly, but Kise had no intention of stopping.

“It’s incredible… when you think about everything that had to happen to get here. All the decisions that each person on this world had to make, for the conditions to be just right. To think that the events that led to this moment… began more than five thousand years ago…with a different version of ourselves.”

This time, Kaiba did writhe against him, almost imperceptibly so, and Kise smiled.

“Do you think we were born just so that Gilgamesh could be freed, so that everything could happen the way that it did, for Enkidu to find peace, and Gilgamesh and Priest Seto to be reunited? Do you think if that is the case… that it makes our life any less meaningful? Was that our only purpose?”

Kise chuckles.

“Thinking about it makes my head spin, even if I’m happy about the outcome, and being able to help those three. Still, I can’t help but wonder what that means about destiny… and fate… and the plans the universe has for everything. Do we even have the freedom of choice, if that’s the case? Do we even have a say in who we are and what we will do with our life? Is this what people call an existential crisis? I’ve never had one before.”

Kise laughs this time, a playful kind of laugh.

“Still… even if that was all that fate or destiny had in store for me… I don't mind. Because it led me to you, and there's nothing I would change or do different if given the chance.”

Kaiba only listened quietly, still reeling from the burst of emotion that Kise caused him to have.

As he clutched onto Kise tighter, he cut him off, speaking for the first time, his throat and voice hoarse from the effort of holding back his cries earlier.

“I don't care about destiny. I don't care about its plans and what it wants. I only know what I want, and I will only do what I choose to do.”

As Kise felt Kaiba’s grip tighten around him, his chest once more swelled with emotion.

“And what is it you want?” he softly urged.

Kaiba remained silent for a moment, and still didn’t look at Kise as he answered.

“I want you... I want to know you're mine… and only mine.”

Kise smiled at the breathless edge to Kaiba’s voice, and his grip tightened around the brunette as he kissed the top of his head.

“What are you saying?”

Kaiba huffed, and Kise chuckled.

“You know what I'm saying…”

This time, Kise tilted his head down, silently urging Kaiba to look up at him.

“You have to say it… I need to hear it come from your lips.”

Kaiba seems to understand the silent plea, because slowly, he raised his head, and looked at Kise with a glare, but the blush on his face betrayed him.

Kaiba visibly struggled to say the words, but finally managed to be able to form them and speak them aloud.

“My answer is yes. I… I want to be with you. I want to be your… _boyfriend_.”

Kaiba grimaced at the word, isn't used to the way it rolled off his tongue and the way his heart faltered at its implication. He hates that Kise doesn't even look surprised, but is drawn in by his warmth regardless, by the look of adoration in his eyes. When Kise kisses him, Kaiba only wants more.

“I'm glad, because I want to be your boyfriend too.”

Kaiba blushes even more, his heart racing when he thinks about what he just agreed to. Even if he had been responsible for signing more legal documents in his career than he can possibly count, nothing had ever felt as binding as this.

“I… I don't know if I can be a good boyfriend.”

Kise rolls on top of Kaiba again, begins to place kisses along his face and down his neck.

“Well, I don't mind showing you the ropes. Like I said… relationships aren't easy. We won't always be happy with each other. We're going to get mad at each other, we're going to say things we don't mean, we're going to make mistakes. We're human, and that's what we humans do best. I can't promise you a fairytale ending, I don't think you'd believe in one either. And there's no guarantee that you will still feel the same way for me a year from now, or even three months from now.”

Kaiba doesn't like how his heart seems to drop to the pit of his stomach at the thought.

“All I can tell you with certainty is what I feel now, what I've felt growing since the day I met you. I love you, Seto Kaiba. I'm amazed by you. I want to be with you. I want to have an adventure with you. I want each day to be exciting, and it will be, because it'll be a new day full of experiences with you. Good or bad… exciting or scary… happy or sad… I want to do it all.”

Kise kisses his way back to Kaiba's lips, kisses him softly and tenderly.

“How does that sound to you?”

Kaiba cups Kise's face, sees the hint of fear in his eyes, and somehow, it soothes him, because suddenly he doesn't feel so alone.

“It sounds terrifying…”

Kise stops breathing, and Kaiba strokes his cheek tenderly.

“But if it's with you… I don't mind.”

Kise smiles, and Kaiba sees the relief in his eyes.

“I love you,” Kise whispers once more.

He sees something akin to panic flash in Kaiba’s eyes, but Kise only smiles and kisses him again.

“You don't have to say it back. You can say it if the day comes when you want to… I don't mind waiting for that day.”

Kaiba frowns.

Rather than reply, Kaiba trails his hands down Kise's torso, cups Kise's soft length, and beings to tenderly stroke it.

“How about instead of talking, you use that pretty mouth of yours for better things. Like fucking your new boyfriend?”

Kise's eyes widen, before he grins and his eyes darken to that same molten gold that manages to leave Kaiba breathless. That predatory look that he had only learned of that day.

“Be careful what you ask for, Kaibacchi.”

Kaiba glares at Kise, then looks away.

“Call me Seto.”

Kise's eyes fill with warmth, as does his smile, before he places another tender kiss on his lips.

“Okay… _Seto_.”

The sound of his name said so tenderly makes Kaiba’s breath hitch, and the look in Kise's eyes is unnerving.

It will take some time to get used to, he knows.

“Hurry up and fuck me.”

Kise chuckles, before parting Kaiba's legs and settling himself between them.

“As my boyfriend wishes.”

_Keep me safe here forever  
Keep me safe here forever_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot I would like to say about this chapter, but I think I'll just leave it up for interpretation. 
> 
> The one thing I do want to say... is that I love the idea that Kaiba and Mokuba were born in a different country(not America or where English is the first language), and Japan isn't their native land. I thought about giving them a nationality, but decided to leave it a mystery and up to the reader to imagine. I really think that to bare Kaiba's soul is to bring him back to his childhood before his parents died, and his innocence in essence. I wanted Kise to be able to reach that part of him, and show him that he could still feel those emotions that once brought him warmth and security... with him, by accepting his love. To let him know that he didn't have to be cold and reserved, that he doesn't have to fear his ability to feel and be vulnerable, because Kise would make sure to keep him safe.
> 
> Ahh wow I can't believe this story is finished. Where's my existential crisis.
> 
> Anyway, there is a nice little epilogue coming, so it's not completely the end.


	44. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whether it was fate or destiny... they chose each other.

* * *

Kise decides to go to fashion school after high school. It’s a field he already has experience in, it’s not a desk job (for the most part), and it allows him to constantly be creative in an exciting way. Still, he wants to challenge himself, so he decides to do the next big thing and start his own fashion line and modeling agency. 

Kaiba helps him study for the entrance exams, and Kise gets accepted into all his top three choices. Kaiba insisted he apply to multiple, just in case he didn’t get into his first choice. 

His first choice is, of course, the one in Domino, because Kise wants to be close to Kaiba, and he’s confident enough in his chances of success that the school doesn’t much matter to him. 

He plans on getting his own apartment, but Kaiba insists on getting him a loft that Kise would have never otherwise been able to afford on his own. Kise teases him that it officially makes him his sugar daddy when he refuses to take no for an answer, but it doesn’t take much for Kise to give in. After all, it _ is _ a really nice loft, and the privacy and location are ideal. 

College is everything Kise expected, and harder than he thought it would be. He has to challenge himself in ways he never had to before, yet the hardest part about it all was keeping his relationship with Kaiba a secret. He made college friends, lived the college life, and worked on increasing his platform to create the vision he wanted to take for his career. 

But even though college life was a blur, Kise remembers every detail about his relationship with Kaiba. 

He introduces Kaiba to his sisters soon after they start dating, just a few months in. He trusts them and knows he will need their advice and judgement for when it comes to introducing Kaiba to his parents. He knows it will be a while yet before he was ready to do _that_, but he’ll cross that bridge when they get there. His sisters approve of Kaiba right away, and how can they not? He’s successful, handsome, and helped Kise into college and got him his own loft. He’s the ideal partner that anyone could ever want, especially in a country like Japan. 

Kaiba gets along well with his friends too, at least the ones that that know about him. His closest high school friends, which meant mostly the Generation of Miracles, were the ones to find out about him first. Perhaps it was because they were all prodigies in one way or another, but Kaiba fit in well with their dynamic, even if he was mostly an extension to Kise. Not surprisingly, it’s Akashi that Kaiba gets along with the best. In fact, the best way that Kise can get Kaiba to come with him to a get together is when Akashi will be there too. The two started a rivalry of their own, and every time they were both present for an event there was either a shogi board or a chess set nearby. The two were evenly matched, and it was always quite a spectacle to see their matches, it was anyone’s guess who would win, and the betting pool always made things more interesting. 

His relationship with Aomine improves slowly, but surely. Kise does his best to give Aomine as much space as possible while still being his rival in every sense, but their friendship will take years to fully heal. 

* * *

Telling his parents about his relationship is as difficult as he expected, but after two years of being together, Kise finally decides its time. He decides to bring up the conversation without Kaiba first, doesn’t want to just throw him to the wolves. Not that his parents are wolves, but he already knows that his father is especially conservative and won’t take the news of his son being gay well at all. He’s prepared for the worst though, and he loves Kaiba far too much to let his parent’s approval get in the way of their relationship. 

The conversation is everything Kise knew it would be, but with sheer determination, Kise gets through it. As expected, his parents are shocked, and his father walks out of the room as soon as Kise says he has a boyfriend and has no intention to break up with him. His mom mostly sits in silence, absorbing the news. Kise tries not to cry at the look of devastation on her face, as if having a gay son is the worst thing that’s ever happened to her. 

Kise leaves the house before the tears can run down his face, too proud to let her see how much their disapproval affects him. 

He doesn’t speak to them for months, but Kaiba is there, keeping him from completely breaking apart. 

His mom is the first to reach out, two months after the most uncomfortable dinner of his life. He meets her at a restaurant, and she tells him she loves him, and to be patient with his father, that he just needs time. Kise tries to believe her, but it still feels like failure. 

It takes a few more months for his father to accept this part of Kise’s life, but finally, _finally_, agrees to meeting the man Kise loves. It probably helps that the man Kise is dating is one of the most successful and influential men in Japan, and that Kaiba was nothing but respectful and serious about his intent to care for Kise and do right by him. 

It doesn’t take much after that for their relationship to be accepted, even if his parents still get visibly uncomfortable with their open shows of affection around them. That too, however, will change with time. 

* * *

Life is a funny thing, Kise learns. 

Adulthood is both bitter and sweet. There are constant obstacles to be faced, ugly and evil things at every corner. But for the most part, he is content. 

He stays close to the rivals he calls his friends, watches as they go their separate ways but is happy to see them blossom into the people they are meant to be. 

Akashi goes on to go become the capable heir and executive of his family’s business, ready to take on the mantle for when the time comes. 

Midorima goes to medical school, where he plans to become a surgeon. He certainly has the hands for it. 

Its Kagami, Aomine, and Murasakibara that pursue basketball professionally. They make Japan proud, because professional basketball players from their country are a rarity in the NBA, especially so many at one time. 

Momoi finally fulfills her promise with Kise when it comes to Kuroko. She helps him realize what he wants to do in life, and the two go to college together; Momoi for business, and Kuroko for elementary education. Kise is elated when Kuroko finally returns his pink-haired friend’s feelings and knows they will last. 

After Momoi graduates, Kaiba and Akashi fight over her talent as they compete to get her to work for their respective companies. In the end, Kaiba wins out, probably in part because Kise uses his charm to get Momoi to be closer to him. He does consider her his best friend after all, and who doesn’t want their best friend nearby? Akashi still hasn’t quite forgiven him for that one, and Momoi still feels guilty about it too. 

Mokuba and Idania get together shortly after he and Kaiba do, apparently their own relationship pushed Mokuba to take his own leap of faith with the woman he was falling for, even with the distance between them. Mokuba has never been happier and he settles down in Nicaragua for a few years after finally finishing his studies in linguistics and anthropology, with a side of business and computer programming. 

They do eventually plan to move to Japan, but they want to settle a few things in Nicaragua first. 

* * *

Kaiba and Kise find that although they have complimentary traits, their polar personalities cause them to have quite a bit of fights too. 

Things like Kaiba cancelling one too many dates because of a meeting and Kise having a fit over Kaiba and work, and his temper getting the better of him so that he says something he doesn't mean, which ends up making Kaiba angry and the two are too stubborn and end up mad for days. 

On the other hand, since Kise can be a bit melodramatic, Kaiba has no qualms calling him out when he’s being petty and childish, to which Kise tells Kaiba it doesn’t matter because he's his boyfriend and should support him no matter what. Kaiba, of course, says he's not supporting Kise when he's wrong and he shouldn’t expect that of him. 

Cue another battle of wills. 

Sometimes Kise is the first to break and all it takes is giving Kaiba a hug from behind as he makes him a cup of coffee and kiss before work. Sometimes he surprises him with an apology lunch at work. 

Sometimes it’s Kaiba that breaks first and he does some grand gesture like send Kise a large arrangement of flowers to work or buys him some expensive sentimental piece of jewelry and takes them on a trip to another part of the world. 

They also learn that In their relationship, Kaiba is very protective of Kise, and since the beauty and fashion industry is so cutthroat, Kise has to make Kaiba promise not to take the critiques to heart after Kaiba does something extreme like ruin some peoples careers for what they said about Kise. Obviously Kise is not happy because he can handle it and Kaiba has no right to get involved. It also doesn’t take long for Kaiba to realize that Kise really _is _strong and is more than capable of taking care of himself. Not to mention, he _does _ have access to one of the last remaining and most powerful sources of magic at his disposal. Thankfully the blonde never abuses its power, and only certain dangerous events have had a need of it. 

Still, Kaiba is the one to remember all the important dates and anniversaries (maybe thanks to his virtual secretary set to remind him) and it’s Kise that often forgets. Thankfully it doesn’t bother Kaiba either way, but Kise still feels guilty about it, even if it makes him happy that Kaiba always remembers and plans something, whether it's a fancy dinner or a trip somewhere. 

Kise, of course, is the spontaneous one. The one likelier to demand a date night when their schedules align just so, and has kept his promise to show Kaiba all the little pleasures their world has to offer. 

Kise also finds out early in their relationship that Kaiba is a surprisingly tactile person. If they're in close proximity, he has to always be touching him, even if it’s subtle. Things like having Kise's legs on his lap when they’re on the couch and Kise is immersed on his phone and Kaiba reading, or his knee against his at a restaurant while they eat, and an arm around him in bed even if Kise knows it can’t always be comfortable. Kaiba is always the first one to reach for his hand when it's appropriate or put a hand around his waist in more public and formal settings to show they're together. Kise finds it endearing and thinks it's because Kaiba has been so devoid of physical affection that now that they're together he is making up for all the time without it. 

As Kise becomes more and more successful, and his fame grows, it gets increasingly hard to maintain his relationship with Kaiba a secret. At first, their reasons for wanting to keep their relationship a secret had more to do with their age difference and the nature of their relationship in a conservative country, but as Kise gets older, the two grow to appreciate the privacy of keeping their relationship between themselves and those they care about. 

The two decide to finally go public with their relationship at the year four mark, when Kise is 22 and Kaiba 29, even if they tell the public that they have only been dating for two. There have been several close calls with people that find out about them but Kaiba is always able to be a step ahead to delete all evidence and discredit them. But finally, Kise decides that maybe it’s time they stop hiding from the world. He thinks it's a good time since the world is becoming more open about LGBTQ+ and as large public figures, they would be an inspiration to others, not to mention he's confident they're strong enough to handle any backlash. While Kaiba isn’t thrilled to make their relationship public and all that comes with publicity, he concedes if just to finally let all those people with their eyes on Kise know they don’t have a chance with him, and so that he can finally make his board of directors stop pushing for him to marry and have children. 

There is backlash of course, and Kise and Kaiba handle it, but they also get much more support, and before long they are old news, and the stigma begins to change. 

Since it’s obvious that Kaiba’s soft spot is Kise, people make the mistake of thinking that going through the cheerful blonde to get something from the cold and aloof CEO would be easier. Kaiba thinks it's hilarious because they could not be more wrong and going through Kise is the worst thing anyone could ever choose to do. Kise is just as protective of Kaiba as the brunette is of him, if not more so, and does not take kindly to people trying to go through him to get to Kaiba. He is quick to show that he is actually far less merciful than Kaiba and far pettier. It usually ends up with a lost job and tarnished reputation unless Kaiba decides said party still has some use and reels Kise in. 

* * *

They only break up once in the course of their relationship. 

Neither like to think about it, and while short lived, it is one of the hardest and most painful things either must go through. 

It has everything to do with jealousy and insecurities, and Mokuba has to step in to talk some sense into his brother and keep him from making the biggest mistake of his life. 

* * *

They start thinking about marriage after Mokuba and Idania get married after four years of dating, shortly after they themselves go public with their relationship. 

The ceremony is private but beautiful, and Kaiba can see how wistful Kise is when he talks about how amazing the wedding was and how happy Mokuba and Idania looked through it all. 

Kaiba has thought about their future before of course, and he knows he is not opposed to being with Kise for as long as he can. Then again, Japan still does not recognize same sex marriage, so how can do they do something like that? 

That's when Kaiba decides to become more involved in politics, and just three years later same sex marriage is to become legal in Japan, and Kaiba plans the proposal for the day before the vote will happen. He already knows the outcome, after all, social justice doesn’t come cheap. 

He decides to keep it a private affair, just Kise and him. He also decides it should be in Nicaragua, because that was where Kaiba first began to realize Kise was more than just a passing fling. 

Mokuba and Idania help him organize the entire thing, a dinner at the beach, followed by a walk along the shore where Kaiba will ask the big question. 

Kise, surprised and happy, says yes of course, but surprises Kaiba with a condition. 

He will not marry Kaiba until he does one more thing. 

Kaiba must defeat the Pharaoh, Atem, in a duel first. 

Kise explains that although he has been patient with Kaiba, he can't stand the thought that he has refused to overcome his own rival, and if they want to start a marriage, Kise wants to see Kaiba finally face this challenge first, and if he needs a reason to win, then Kise will gladly be that reason. 

Kaiba is surprised by Kise's condition that feels like a cruel ultimatum, but he also can’t help but respect how effective it actually is, and agrees to the terms. 

* * *

Kise helps him prepare his deck, places a gentle kiss on each card to remind him that his heart is in them too. 

Kaiba can’t imagine losing after that. 

And so, he takes what might be his final trip to the afterlife, where he faces his greatest rival and close friend. 

Kaiba wins, of course, even if it’s the most difficult duel of his life. He still remembers the fond smile on Atem’s lips after the final card was played, can still remember the way his heart hammered in his chest because _ this was it _. 

He still remembers Atem’s words as well. 

_ “It seems you have finally found a reason worth fighting for, one that does not stem from greed or pride. Today, you fought for love. And that made all the difference in this match, Kaiba.” _

* * *

The ceremony is private but extravagant. 

Kise’s entire family is there, even his father, who sheds a few tears during their vows. 

Kaiba’s best man is Mokuba of course, but Yugi, and their long-time bodyguard and trusted friend, Roland, stand with him as his groomsmen. 

Kise’s groomsmen include Kuroko, Kasamatsu, and Momoi as his best man (because to hell with tradition). 

Everyone they care about is present, including Kisara, who Kaiba and Kise have grown to love like a sister, and her date Marik, who apparently has his own history with Kaiba and the sister named Ishizu during the times of their shadow games(Kise is still learning new things about their magical pasts). Everyone thinks they make a surprisingly good match. 

Aomine is there too, with his own beautiful wife and their two-year-old son. 

After a long string of meaningless relationships (but no men, Momoi assures Kise), Aomine finally finds a woman that he can give his heart to. She is one of the daintiest women Kise has ever seen, but she is beautiful and kind, with the patience of a saint that is practically a requirement when it comes to someone like Aomine. 

Kise hates that there is still a stirring in his heart when he finds out, can’t help but think of the _ what if’s _ and the _ what could have been’s _ , because he is human, and humans think these things, even when they know they wouldn’t change a thing about their lives or do anything differently. Still, Kise will always secretly cherish the thought that at least he was the only _man _ that Aomine ever loved. 

So, after seven years of dating, and even though they keep their names, Kise Ryota and Kaiba Seto get married, and become a power couple of Japan. 

* * *

Children, it seems, begin to pop up everywhere. 

Mokuba and Idania have their first daughter only a year after they get married, with a second on the way shortly after Kise and Kaiba’s wedding. 

Momoi gets pregnant with twins before she and Kuroko even discuss marriage, and refuses to marry while pregnant, so the wedding will have to wait until after, much to Kuroko’s chagrin. 

Yugi and Tea already have three kids, all boys. Tea doesn’t plan to stop until they have a girl, she says. 

They are all loud, snotty, and cry at every little thing. But they are also the most adorable little things Kise has ever seen. 

Still, none of these children could prepare them for what comes next. 

One day, when Kisara is back from one of her foreign exploits, she surprises them by bringing a child with her. 

They are confused, because they saw Kisara just a few months prior, and she had _definitely _not been pregnant. So, who was this newborn that she carried in her arms so tenderly? 

Kisara tells them the story of how one of her travels took her to a young orphan single mother who died during childbirth, and seeing the baby, something told her that she needed to take it as her own. They can all feel it when they see it. Even as a baby, they can feel it in their souls who this baby is. 

With a tuft of green hair atop their head, and pale blue-green eyes that seem to pierce their hearts… they recognize this soul. It’s Enkidu, reincarnated into their world, and Kise is in tears at what it means. It means that Enkidu can finally have a heart, and grow up as a human. That they are one step closer to finding the peace they sought and was denied when they first lived. 

Kise asks (more like demands) to be the godfather, and Kisara assures him that's exactly what she came to ask. 

Kise is excited to watch Enkidu grow, to see them experience what it means to be human. 

_ Don’t worry Gilgamesh_, Kise silently promises, _Enkidu is in good hands. _

* * *

As far as children go, both Kaiba and Kise think they are too busy running their respective businesses to really raise their own. Kise’s fashion line and modeling agency are more successful than anyone anticipated, and it takes a lot of work to keep up with the demands and the always changing fads. Kaiba’s company continues to grow, revolutionizing the gaming and technology industry again and again, even reviving Duel Monsters and helping to evolve it to the next generation. 

However, because Kaiba and Mokuba donate a large amount to orphanages around the world, one day the very same orphanage that Kaiba and Mokuba were placed in invites them to an event to meet the children they are helping with their donation. 

Kise thinks they should go, curious to see the place where his husband and brother-in-law came from. Although Kaiba is hesitant, he concedes to Kise's wishes. After all, although it's the same building, the orphanage has changed hands since he had been there, and he_ is _a bit curious to see how it’s changed. 

They are surprised when they immediately fall in love with a pair of siblings. A young brown-haired boy with gold eyes that's around four years old, and a blonde-haired girl with blue eyes that's about six, both sporting tan skin that spoke of their Egyptian origin. The young boy is shy, and his sister is a firecracker that is incredibly protective of her little brother. 

Ozymandias and Nakhti. 

Their story tugs at their heart strings, refugees seeking asylum with their single mother, their father and older siblings taken from them as a result of war and conflict in their homeland. They came with their sick mother, only for her to die a year after they were granted asylum. They had no living family members that they knew of, which was why they were placed in the orphanage. 

Kise spends the entire evening with them, unable to tear his eyes away from them. Ozymandias immediately takes a liking to Kise and becomes inseparable from his side, while Nakhti takes a curiosity to Kaiba, and Kaiba ends up teaching her to play chess with a set in the orphanage (the same set that he beat Gozaburo on, he is shocked to recognize). He's surprised to see that she's a quick learner, and she admits that she watches matches on TV when it's on but that she never really understood what the exact rules were. She tells him how no one can teach her, and they didn't have any books to learn from either. 

Kaiba tells her he can get her some books, and the way that she looks at him like he is a godsend shakes something within him. 

Kise is pleased to see Kaiba and the little girl playing the entire evening. And when it's time to go, he feels pained. The sad and forlorn look on the little kid’s faces breaks his heart. 

Even if he promises to visit again. 

When they return home, Kise can’t get them out of his head, and even if Kaiba won't admit it, neither can he. Their mansion suddenly feels emptier, colder, too large for them. 

After a few days of seeing Kise so sullen, Kaiba asks him if it's the children he's thinking about. 

Kise admits that he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about them, that when he saw them, it made him feel as if he had found something he hadn’t realized he’d been searching for, how looking at the little boy’s eyes had made him feel a warmth like nothing else, and seeing Kaiba and the little girl playing chess made him feel _ complete_. 

Kise asks if it's okay to want more than he has. Even if he's already so happy with Kaiba by his side. 

Kaiba tells him that of course it's okay, that wanting more is the nature of a King. 

Besides, his board of directors are still hounding him for an heir, and some are even under the misconception that because he chose Kise as his husband that he can’t produce a successor. 

He reminds him that all family is not made by blood. 

Kise knows Kaiba is right, thinks about how his own _ 'family' _ has grown throughout the years. With his own sisters settling down and having children, how Mokuba is already talking about a third child. And how even Kisara has taken in Enkidu and was now engaged to Marik, and he has no doubt that they will have kids soon after they marry. 

Kise smiles and tells Kaiba to go get their children. 

* * *

They adopt the two children right away, Kise not wanting to be apart from them one more day than he has to be. Thankfully, the process is expedited due to Kaiba’s connections and status. 

When Kaiba and Kise return to pick them up, it's an emotional affair, and Nakhti cries as she latches onto Kaiba while Ozymandias seems more confused than anything, but happy to see that Kise is back as he latches on to him too. 

The matrons comment that they truly look like a family, and Kise couldn’t agree more. 

The kids settle in as if they've always been there, a perfect puzzle piece, and Kise has never been happier, even if parenthood is an adjustment. 

Thankfully they aren't in any shortage of help. And of course, Kaiba insists on hiring nannies and tutors to give them an appropriate upbringing to his standard, but Kise warns that he better give them time to be children too. 

Nakhti is a Daddy's girl (it was decided Kise would be Papa because Kaiba refuses to accept anything else, and Kise refuses to go by mum, although he never corrects Ozymandias when he ends up calling him mum anyway). 

Their daughter is incredibly smart, even if it’s not to the level of a genius, and her admiration and adoration of Kaiba make her strive to make him proud with her studies and achievements. Kaiba finds her work ethic endearing, and Kise teases him all the time about his softness to her. Kaiba reminds Kise that he has no room to talk and he needs to stop spoiling their son rotten lest he turn out an entitled brat. 

Kise only pouts and tells him he can’t help those big eyes of his, and that their son is too young to really understand much anyway. And besides, with a father like Kaiba, how could their children not grow up to be hard working and responsible adults? _H__e’s _not exactly lazy either, Kise reminds him as he launches into a retelling of all the recent projects he’s launched with his new fashion collections for the season. 

Mokuba is thrilled that his children have cousins to play with, and Yugi is already wondering which of his sons is going to marry Nakhti. 

Kise is surprised Kaiba’s glare doesn’t kill Yugi on the spot. 

* * *

*~*~*~* 

* * *

*~*~*~* 

* * *

Two years after the children join them, Kaiba reflects on his life as he watches Nakhti sleep on his lap after he reads her a bedtime story(if a book about ethics could be considered a bedtime story). He’s sitting on the reading chair of their room, the lamp beside them casting a warm glow over them. 

Kise walks in to tell him he put Ozy down for the count, it was easier than usual thanks to him being tired out from a day of playing sports. He's discovered a love for soccer to their surprise, and although Kise has always considered himself a basketball player above all, he can't even feel betrayed. 

Kise smiles when he sees the picture before him, and offers to take her to her room, but as he tries to reach for her, she only clutches onto Kaiba more, and Kise pouts while Kaiba tells him he can do it. 

Kaiba carries her to her room in his arms and lays her down on her bed, even as she whines and doesn’t want to let him go, clutching at his shirt to keep him close. 

Kaiba feels that familiar warmth in his chest, and gently pries her hold from him while placing a kiss on her hair and reminding her that she's a big girl and should sleep on her own. 

Her blue eyes remind him of his as she looks back at him and pouts, her blonde bangs falling over her face, until finally she let's him go. 

"Goodnight," he tells her softly, slowly pulling away. 

"Goodnight...I love you daddy." 

It's not the first time she says those words to him, and he still remembers how nervous and afraid she had been when she gathered the courage to say those words for the first time. Kaiba could understand, because he knew what it had felt like back then, to be an orphan, to give up on the idea of having a family like the one you lost. And how scary it could be to be brought to a stranger’s home and hope that maybe... just maybe... they could love you the same as they would their own children, the way your parents had loved you. 

Kaiba's circumstances had been different, but maybe... in another life... in a life where he hadn’t sacrificed what he did for success... the idea of opening up to another, _more loving_, family would have been one that would have been the ultimate form of vulnerability. 

She's a brave one, he can see. 

"I love you too, sweetheart." 

It's a term of endearment that he only ever uses in private, but each time that smile that forms on her lips is divine, and gives him a reason to be the best father he can be, even if he’s not sure what that all entails. He stops by Ozymandias’ room to check in on him and finds that he is indeed sound asleep. He takes a moment to just take him in, before leaning down and placing a kiss on his head as well. He stirs but doesn't wake up. 

Kaiba returns to their room to find Kise out on the balcony and comes up behind him as he wraps his arms around him. The moon is almost full in the cloudless sky above them, casting an ethereal glow on the balcony and the gardens beneath them. But nothing compares as Kise makes a contented sound as he leans back against him and places his hands atop of his. 

"Are they still asleep?" 

Kaiba makes a sound of confirmation, and Kise turns around in Kaiba's hold, a look of pure love and warmth as he smiles and wraps his arms around Kaiba's neck. 

"I guess we should think about putting Ozy in a little league, give him some formal training with his new love for soccer," Kise says, a thoughtful look in his eyes. 

Kaiba makes another hum of approval. 

"As long as he still has time for his tutoring sessions." 

Kise scowls slightly. 

"What did we say about giving them time to just be kids?" 

"He can be a kid and still get a head start in his learning." 

"He's six! He's barely learning to read!" 

Kaiba has to restrain himself from saying what he wants to say next. It’s one of their recurrent arguments after all. 

Kise continues, intent on driving his point. 

"It’s fine with Nakhti, all she wants is to get ahead and learn everything she can as fast as possible. But you can't expect Ozy to be the same. They might be siblings, but they're different." 

Kaiba relents and places a sweet kiss on his husband’s lips before he ruins the moment with a fight. He's too happy to end the night on a sour note. 

"She's going to be a great CEO," Kaiba says when he pulls away from the Kise. 

The look of warmth is back on Kise's face, and the sweet smile on his lips is the one Kaiba wants to see. 

"Yeah... our kids will grow up to be amazing people. We'll make sure of it." 

_ Our kids. _

An unexpected tsunami of emotions wrecks through Kaiba just then. It's something he can't put up his walls fast enough for as they overwhelm him, and all he can do is bury his face into the crook of Kise's neck to save face. 

But Kise can feel the dampness of Kaiba's tears on his skin, feels the way he holds him tighter in his arms, and the subtle shaking of his body against his. 

It fills Kise with adoration as he softens and gently runs his hands along Kaiba's back soothingly. 

"Seto... it's okay to be happy. You don't have to hide from me." 

Despite his soft words, Kaiba doesn’t pull away, but turns his head slightly so that he can speak without his words being muffled against Kise's skin. 

There are so many feelings. So many he can hardly sift through them all, but he knows that he is right. He doesn’t have to hide from him. 

So, he does his best to speak the feelings he wants to convey. 

"Thank you Ryota... for giving me the family I never thought I was supposed to have. No matter how many lifetimes we live... I hope that you are the only one I ever spend them with." 

This time, Kise gently pulls away from Kaiba. Just enough to be able to cup his tear stained face and look into the fathomless ocean of emotions that swirl in his blue eyes. 

It's rare when Kaiba allows himself to be vulnerable like this, but each time is seared into Kise's heart and mind, a treasure just for him. 

As Kise tenderly wipes Kaiba's face, he leans closer, so that their noses are touching, and their lips are only a breath away. 

"I love you, Seto Kaiba. I will love you for the rest of my life, and for every life I'm ever born into, it's you I will look for. Because... I know in my heart there is no one else I want to be with. You, and only you, are my destiny." 

Kaiba feels that same wave of emotion rake over him, and he can no longer remember what life had been like before this beautiful blonde man came into his life and opened his heart like no one else could. 

Seto Kaiba never believed in destiny. Because believing in fate would mean that all the pain and sacrifice he had endured could be nothing more than a cruel joke, where nothing he did even meant anything, and he was powerless against it all. 

But... if destiny is what led him here... into the arms of this man that chose him over anyone else, who remained by his side through it all... with two children they could call their own sound asleep in this mansion that had once felt like a prison, but that he could now call his home... 

Kaiba closes the distance between them, presses his lips against the soft lips that fill him with nothing but love and acceptance, that even after so many years, he could never imagine tiring of. 

Kise returns the kiss tenderly, and it's as if heat sweeps into every crevice of his existence, warming him inside and out. 

If destiny meant that Kise Ryota would remain by his side forever, loving him like he did... then maybe... 

Destiny wasn't so cruel after all. 

** END **


	45. Afterword

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just my thoughts and ramblings.Feel free to skip but check out the playlist at the bottom :)

Wow, I can’t begin to explain what reaching the end of this fic means to me. I honestly didn’t expect anyone to really care for it, so seeing those of you who commented, gave kudos, subscribed, and bookmarked this fic really meant a lot to me, and it really motivated me to see it to the end faster than I probably would have if I had kept it to myself. 

Even though this was one of the cheesiest endings I have ever written, it was exactly how I wanted the story to end and I am so happy and satisfied with how it turned out. 

My goal with this story was about satisfying two things: 

My issue with KnB and Kise being my favorite player is that aside from Last Game and Greatest Player episode, I was a little upset with how Kise’s potential and talent was always downplayed. The whole thing with an injury I get was for the sake of story and Kise being OP’ed doesn’t work for the sake of humbling the Generation of Miracles, and I wanted to write out a story where Kise was able to show his full potential while also showing a human part of him with insecurities and such(to contrast his self-centered and external cheerfulness), and showing his developing maturity and transitioning into adulthood. I always admired that Kise was pretty mature about how he handled his emotions and the way he is actually very self-aware (and not the ditzy blond everyone makes him out to be). 

As for Kaiba, I wanted to show him being able to open his heart to someone, and living out a life that he always denied himself for the sake of power and success _aka _having his own family. As much as I love Yugioh, the ending always left me wanting more and it didn’t give me that sense of closure I like to get with endings(the movie did help though, a little). While I do think that Kaiba goes through _some _character development, there was still a lot to be desired, and I wanted to explore an ending I could be satisfied with, for him and everyone else. I think Kaiba’s redemption would definitely be him defeating Atem with a pure cause, even if he’s done it before to an extent with Mokuba, I wanted him to overcome his need to defeat Atem through the power of love with no lives being at stake(wow that felt so cheesy to write oops). So, the thought of his reason for seeking victory is to be able to marry Kise really hits me in the feels. 

Games and Destiny were the two themes of this story(obviously), so as cliché and overdone as it is, there really was no better theme to use and end on, and the added addition of Fate(which also has themes of competition and destiny and redemption) with Gilgamesh and Enkidu definitely added(to my, at least) enjoyment. With Gilgamesh(like Kaiba with Mokuba), his saving grace was always Enkidu, and their story is so beautifully tragic that it became more of a challenge to myself to make Gilgamesh more likeable and incorporating Fate into this crackfic along with Enkidu in a way I could be proud of. 

I’m also happy with how I managed to incorporate Aomine and Kise into this story, and that gut-wrenching feel is exactly what I wanted(as crazy as that sounds, I wanted that angst for them because life is far from perfect and what better way to grow as a person). While I really do believe Aomine and Kise are so cute together and they will forever be one of my OTPs, and their relationship is so deep in canon, I think that compared to Kaiba, Kaiba would still be the better choice? Don’t get me wrong, Kise and Aomine are great together, and they would have a comfortable and playful relationship and be happy forever. But I think I still prefer Kaiba with Kise because like I mentioned early on, Kaiba would kind of push Kise to do _ more_, because Kaiba is already this larger than life figure with so many accomplishments, I feel that Kise would push himself to higher levels to almost keep up with him? Not in an insecure way either, but in that healthy “I’m going to prove I can make it too” and “You inspire me” kind of way. Not to mention, even though Aomine is also not very good at expressing himself, Kaiba kind of needs Kise more? I really think that Kaiba is far lonelier and more isolated than Aomine, and very very few people would ever be able to get through his walls, so I like the idea of someone warm and cheerful like Kise to be the one to do it. Although in hindsight this might only work if Kise loves Duel Monsters or takes an interest in it. 

I also wanted to do right by Kisara, and although I never _ ever _considered it, I do like the idea of her and Marik together. With her being an archeologist in this story, and Marik a rare- hunter, I can actually see them being a super cute couple in a world where Kaiba and Kise are together, and I absolutely needed Enkidu to be reborn and have the chance to live a full human life(they’ll join Gilgamesh afterwards, after a possible romance with a different reincarnated pharaoh to bring it full circle even? Hmmm). Not to mention, Kisara’s and Marik’s adventures would be just what Enkidu would need to experience the wonders of the world and all that comes with being human. 

Also fun fact! For my Fate lovers out there, the little boy Kise and Kaiba adopt is indeed THE Ozymandias we know and love. I already decided that in their past life, Seto actually ends up adopting Ozymandias with the intention of him being his heir and the next Pharaoh of Egypt(to fit into cannon we’re just gonna say he has an early reincarnation and is reincarnated into Ramses II to maintain the timeline lol). And let’s be honest, doesn’t he look exactly like what a child between Kise and Kaiba would look like if this was an mpreg fic?? Ozymandias is literally the hottest male of Fate in my opinion, and I can already imagine what a total playboy he will be as the son of Kise and Kaiba and the wealth and exposure that is their life. Kaiba wants to disown him every other day because of the utter shenanigans he gets up to, but Kise is there to protect his little boy(even after he stops being little). 

As far as Nakhti, I really wanted to have a cute little girl for Kaiba to adopt and love, and some girl power because she is absolutely going to become the next CEO of KaibaCorp, have fun stopping her. Kaiba is a literal god in her eyes, and even though of course she loves her Papa too, Kise always feels as if there’s not much he can connect with Nakhti about. She’s a pure intellectual, doesn’t care much for fashion or other “feminine” things for most of her life even if she still ends up being one of the most popular girls in her classes thanks to her boss attitude that has everyone worshipping the ground she walks on. It’s only during her last year of middle school and she gets her first crush that she comes to Kise for advice, and Kise is beyond happy to finally be able to help and bond with his daughter where Kaiba can’t. Because good luck to any boy(or girl or anything in between and outside the spectrum) that dared even look at his baby girl with anything other than pure intentions. 

Anddd because I’m a sucker for full circles, Nakhti’s true love and whirlwind romance would of course be Aomine’s son, because who doesn’t love the children of “could have been” lovers getting together (even if it would be a little awkward for the parents at first). 

Ahhhh! I just love to imagine how their life would play out. 

Thanks again to all those who followed this story(even if it was silently) and I really hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I did. It would mean the world to me to hear your thoughts and feelings on the conclusion and how YOU think their lives would play out(I might even be willing to write it?). 

Also, check out my Prequel:_ Fate: The Lost Tale of Gilgamesh _! This will be about Gilgamesh and Seto and the events that happened 5000 years prior. Updates will be slower because unlike this one, I don’t have a few years’ worth of material written out and only a storyboard and general ideas(and because I’m a nerd and love ancient civilizations I plan to be as accurate to ancient times as possible which mean more research than I had to do for this one). 

Extra: I made a playlist for this fic if anyone is interested in checking out the songs and who its associated to. It’s basically in chronological order of the events of the story and the general theme and tone and… why am I so extra? 

  1. time of our lives- Christian French (Kaiba and Kise) 
  2. All Time Low- Jon Bellion (Kise) 
  3. Good Things Fall Apart- Illenium, Jon Bellion (Aomine and Kise) 
  4. Beyond the Stars- Evans Blue (Kaiba) 
  5. There’s No Way(feat. Julia Michaels)- Lauv, Julia Michaels (Kaiba and Kise) 
  6. Senorita- Shawn Mendes, Camilla Cabello (Kise) 
  7. Danza Kuduro- Don Omar, Lucenzo (Kise) 
  8. Despacito- Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee (Kaiba and Kise) 
  9. Common- ZAYN (Kaiba and Kise) 
  10. Some Say- Nea (Kise) 
  11. Ya Kel El Omer- Hadi Aswad (Gilgamesh and Priest Seto) 
  12. It Ends Tonight- The All-American Rejects (Gilgamesh and Enkidu) 
  13. JANUARY 1ST- coldrain (Gilgamesh and Enkidu) 
  14. Atoms- Said the Sky Remix- RL Grime, Jeremy Zucker, Said the Sky (Gilgamesh and Enkidu) 
  15. Rescue Me- Marshmello, A Day To Remember (Priest Seto & Gilgamesh & Enkidu, Kise & Kaiba) 
  16. Perfect Doesn’t Last- Beth Crowley (Aomine and Kise) 
  17. I Don’t Want You Back- AJ Mitchell (Aomine and Kise) 
  18. Because I Had You- Shawn Mendes (Aomine) 
  19. Gajumaru- Yaima (Kise) 
  20. Easily- Bruno Major (Kaiba and Kise) 
  21. Let Me- ZAYN (Kise) 
  22. Miss You (with Major Lazer and Tory Lanez)- Cashmere Cat, Major Lazer, Tory Lanez (Kaiba) 
  23. Forever(feat. Elohim)- Laxcity Remix- Ekali, Medasin, Elohim, Laxcity (Kaiba) 

Bonus: 

24\. Congratulations- Post Malone, Quavo (Mokuba and Kaiba: I had to I’m sorry)


	46. KaiKi Original Portrait

So you know how sometimes you love something so much you wanna bring it to life... and sure you can commission someone to do it for you... but why the hell not do it yourself?

This is the story of how I decided to buy a Wacom with the sole intention of bringing images of Kaiba and Kise to life. 

I'm an amateur, but just like my boy Kise, I am a fast learner, and I managed to bring to life an image I can be pretty proud of. Of course, I want to hone my skills and improve, with the goal of bringing lots of scenes from this fic to life. 

This one though, I consider from the "future" when Kise is an established fashion designer with his own brand. Fun fact, the suit I put him in is one that Gilgamesh wears in one of the craft essences in FGO, and the earring he has on is in the style of the ones that Ozymandias wears and in this story Ozy will also inherit. I also wanted to give him longer hair cause I just think that's something Kise would do on a whim. I struggled a lot with Kaiba's face but in the end I'm pretty satisfied with the end result. Also, I did not to the background, so I can't take credit for that, because backgrounds are something I will need a lot more patience for hehe.

Since this is the fic that basically motivated me to finally take up drawing, I thought it only fitting to share this on here as well. Hope you enjoy the first of what will hopefully be a series of a new journey for me! Thanks KaiKi!


End file.
